diff --git a/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/exoplayer/ExoPlayerCore.kt b/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/exoplayer/ExoPlayerCore.kt
index 9b342f30..27285b1a 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/exoplayer/ExoPlayerCore.kt
+++ b/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/exoplayer/ExoPlayerCore.kt
@@ -135,8 +135,7 @@ class ExoPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) : Player.Listener {
                     exoPlayer?.pause()
                 }
             }
-            AudioManager.AUDIOFOCUS_LOSS_TRANSIENT,
-            AudioManager.AUDIOFOCUS_LOSS_TRANSIENT_CAN_DUCK -> {
+            AudioManager.AUDIOFOCUS_LOSS_TRANSIENT -> {
                 Log.d(TAG, "Audio focus lost transiently")
                 hasAudioFocus = false
                 if (isInitialized) {
@@ -144,6 +143,10 @@ class ExoPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) : Player.Listener {
                     exoPlayer?.pause()
                 }
             }
+            AudioManager.AUDIOFOCUS_LOSS_TRANSIENT_CAN_DUCK -> {
+                Log.d(TAG, "Audio focus lost transiently (can duck), continuing playback")
+                // Don't pause — let the system handle volume ducking for notifications
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -1105,7 +1108,6 @@ class ExoPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) : Player.Listener {
                         .build()
                 )
                 .setOnAudioFocusChangeListener(audioFocusChangeListener, handler)
-                .setWillPauseWhenDucked(true)
                 .build()
 
             audioFocusRequest = focusRequest
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/mpv/MpvPlayerCore.kt b/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/mpv/MpvPlayerCore.kt
index 7c8830d3..13a2f97b 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/mpv/MpvPlayerCore.kt
+++ b/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/mpv/MpvPlayerCore.kt
@@ -119,21 +119,8 @@ class MpvPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) :
                 }
             }
             AudioManager.AUDIOFOCUS_LOSS_TRANSIENT_CAN_DUCK -> {
-                Log.d(TAG, "Audio focus lost transiently (can duck)")
-                // For video content, we pause instead of ducking
-                // since dialogue is typically important
-                hasAudioFocus = false
-                if (isInitialized) {
-                    try {
-                        val isPaused = MPVLib.getPropertyBoolean("pause")
-                        wasPlayingBeforeFocusLoss = !isPaused
-                        if (!isPaused) {
-                            MPVLib.setPropertyBoolean("pause", true)
-                        }
-                    } catch (e: Exception) {
-                        Log.w(TAG, "Failed to pause on duck focus loss", e)
-                    }
-                }
+                Log.d(TAG, "Audio focus lost transiently (can duck), continuing playback")
+                // Don't pause — let the system handle volume ducking for notifications
             }
         }
     }
@@ -361,7 +348,6 @@ class MpvPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) :
                         .build()
                 )
                 .setOnAudioFocusChangeListener(audioFocusChangeListener, handler)
-                .setWillPauseWhenDucked(true)
                 .build()
 
             audioFocusRequest = focusRequest