diff --git a/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart b/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
index 8d11fa75..af1e2c68 100644
--- a/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ import '../utils/video_player_navigation.dart';
 import '../widgets/video_controls/video_controls.dart';
 import '../focus/focusable_wrapper.dart';
 import '../focus/input_mode_tracker.dart';
+import '../focus/dpad_navigator.dart';
 import '../focus/key_event_utils.dart';
 import '../i18n/strings.g.dart';
 import '../watch_together/providers/watch_together_provider.dart';
@@ -1726,7 +1727,26 @@ class VideoPlayerScreenState extends State<VideoPlayerScreen> with WidgetsBindin
       focusNode: _screenFocusNode,
       autofocus: isCurrentRoute,
       canRequestFocus: isCurrentRoute,
-      onKeyEvent: (node, event) => isCurrentRoute ? KeyEventResult.handled : KeyEventResult.ignored,
+      onKeyEvent: (node, event) {
+        if (!isCurrentRoute) return KeyEventResult.ignored;
+        // Safety net: if this screen-level node itself has primary focus
+        // (no descendant focused, e.g. after controls auto-hide), self-heal.
+        if (node.hasPrimaryFocus) {
+          // Handle BACK immediately so the user is never stuck.
+          final backResult = handleBackKeyAction(event, _handleBackButton);
+          if (backResult != KeyEventResult.ignored) return backResult;
+          // Redirect focus to the first traversable descendant (video controls)
+          // and show controls immediately so the first key press isn't swallowed.
+          if (event.isActionable) {
+            _controlsVisible.value = true;
+            final descendants = node.traversalDescendants;
+            if (descendants.isNotEmpty) {
+              descendants.first.requestFocus();
+            }
+          }
+        }
+        return KeyEventResult.handled;
+      },
       child: _isPlayerInitialized && player != null ? _buildVideoPlayer(context) : _buildLoadingSpinner(),
     );
   }
diff --git a/lib/widgets/video_controls/video_controls.dart b/lib/widgets/video_controls/video_controls.dart
index 8ee3f85e..bc8b7774 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/video_controls/video_controls.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/video_controls/video_controls.dart
@@ -260,6 +260,8 @@ class _PlexVideoControlsState extends State<PlexVideoControls> with WindowListen
     HardwareKeyboard.instance.addHandler(_handleGlobalKeyEvent);
     // Listen for first frame to start auto-hide timer
     widget.hasFirstFrame?.addListener(_onFirstFrameReady);
+    // Listen for external requests to show controls (e.g. screen-level focus recovery)
+    widget.controlsVisible?.addListener(_onControlsVisibleExternal);
   }
 
   /// Called when hasFirstFrame changes - start auto-hide timer when first frame is ready
@@ -269,6 +271,14 @@ class _PlexVideoControlsState extends State<PlexVideoControls> with WindowListen
     }
   }
 
+  /// Called when controlsVisible is set externally (e.g. screen-level focus recovery
+  /// after controls auto-hide ejects focus on Android TV).
+  void _onControlsVisibleExternal() {
+    if (widget.controlsVisible?.value == true && !_showControls && mounted) {
+      _showControlsWithFocus();
+    }
+  }
+
   /// Focus play/pause button if we're in keyboard navigation mode (desktop/TV only)
   void _focusPlayPauseIfKeyboardMode() {
     if (!mounted) return;
@@ -515,6 +525,7 @@ class _PlexVideoControlsState extends State<PlexVideoControls> with WindowListen
   @override
   void dispose() {
     HardwareKeyboard.instance.removeHandler(_handleGlobalKeyEvent);
+    widget.controlsVisible?.removeListener(_onControlsVisibleExternal);
     widget.hasFirstFrame?.removeListener(_onFirstFrameReady);
     _hideTimer?.cancel();
     _feedbackTimer?.cancel();