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 5d4aa2dc..a1a3cd20 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
@@ -3294,6 +3294,11 @@ class ExoPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) : Player.Listener {
     check(Looper.myLooper() == Looper.getMainLooper())
     Log.d(TAG, "Disposing")
 
+    surfaceContainer?.let { container ->
+      container.visibility = View.INVISIBLE
+      Log.d(TAG, "Hiding surface container during dispose")
+    }
+
     stopFrameWatchdog()
     cancelDecoderHangCheck()
     stopPositionUpdates()
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 94ef22fa..fad44576 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
@@ -813,6 +813,11 @@ class MpvPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) : SurfaceHolder.Callback {
     check(Looper.myLooper() == Looper.getMainLooper())
     Log.d(TAG, "Disposing")
 
+    surfaceContainer?.let { container ->
+      container.visibility = View.INVISIBLE
+      Log.d(TAG, "Hiding surface container during dispose")
+    }
+
     handler.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
 
     // Clean up frame rate and audio focus.
diff --git a/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart b/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
index 18b46655..8e94399e 100644
--- a/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
@@ -1057,6 +1057,32 @@ class VideoPlayerScreenState extends State<VideoPlayerScreen> with WidgetsBindin
   /// latch, MediaSession pause-suppression window) — see [FrameRateMatcher].
   final FrameRateMatcher _frameRate = FrameRateMatcher();
 
+  Future<Duration?> _pauseAndHidePlayerForRouteExit() async {
+    final currentPlayer = player;
+    if (currentPlayer == null || !_isPlayerInitialized) return null;
+
+    final exitPosition = currentPlayer.state.position;
+    if (currentPlayer.state.isActive) {
+      try {
+        await currentPlayer.pause();
+      } catch (e, st) {
+        appLogger.w('Failed to pause player during route exit', error: e, stackTrace: st);
+      }
+    }
+
+    if (!mounted || currentPlayer != player) return exitPosition;
+
+    if (Platform.isAndroid && PlatformDetector.isTV()) {
+      try {
+        await currentPlayer.setVisible(false);
+      } catch (e, st) {
+        appLogger.w('Failed to hide Android TV player surface during route exit', error: e, stackTrace: st);
+      }
+    }
+
+    return exitPosition;
+  }
+
   /// Handle back button press
   /// For non-host participants in Watch Together, shows leave session confirmation
   Future<void> _handleBackButton() async {
@@ -1079,7 +1105,10 @@ class VideoPlayerScreenState extends State<VideoPlayerScreen> with WidgetsBindin
             final navigator = Navigator.of(context);
             if (navigator.canPop()) {
               _isExiting.value = true;
-              await _sendStoppedProgressOnce();
+              final exitPosition = await _pauseAndHidePlayerForRouteExit();
+              if (!mounted) return;
+              await _sendStoppedProgressOnce(positionOverride: exitPosition);
+              if (!mounted) return;
               await _restoreSystemUiAndOrientation();
               if (!mounted) return;
               navigator.pop(true);
@@ -1094,7 +1123,10 @@ class VideoPlayerScreenState extends State<VideoPlayerScreen> with WidgetsBindin
       final navigator = Navigator.of(context);
       if (navigator.canPop()) {
         _isExiting.value = true;
-        await _sendStoppedProgressOnce();
+        final exitPosition = await _pauseAndHidePlayerForRouteExit();
+        if (!mounted) return;
+        await _sendStoppedProgressOnce(positionOverride: exitPosition);
+        if (!mounted) return;
         await _restoreSystemUiAndOrientation();
         if (!mounted) return;
         navigator.pop(true);
diff --git a/lib/widgets/side_navigation_rail.dart b/lib/widgets/side_navigation_rail.dart
index a39bc4d4..fc8ab9a3 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/side_navigation_rail.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/side_navigation_rail.dart
@@ -580,7 +580,6 @@ class SideNavigationRailState extends State<SideNavigationRail> with MountedSetS
     final horizontalPadding = horizontalPaddingForContext(context, isCollapsed: isCollapsed);
     final itemHorizontalPadding = itemHorizontalPaddingForContext(context, isCollapsed: isCollapsed);
     final hasLiveTv = context.watch<MultiServerProvider>().hasLiveTv;
-    final surfaceOpacity = PlatformDetector.isTV() ? 0.0 : 1.0;
 
     // Listen to fullscreen + groupLibrariesByServer setting so the rail
     // rebuilds when the user toggles "Group libraries by server" in Appearance.
@@ -645,7 +644,7 @@ class SideNavigationRailState extends State<SideNavigationRail> with MountedSetS
                   children: [
                     Positioned.fill(
                       child: AnimatedOpacity(
-                        opacity: surfaceOpacity,
+                        opacity: 1.0,
                         duration: t.normal,
                         curve: Curves.easeOutCubic,
                         child: ColoredBox(color: t.surface),
diff --git a/test/widgets/side_navigation_rail_test.dart b/test/widgets/side_navigation_rail_test.dart
index 8d15609c..214be6e7 100644
--- a/test/widgets/side_navigation_rail_test.dart
+++ b/test/widgets/side_navigation_rail_test.dart
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ void main() {
     expect((selectedItemContainer.decoration as BoxDecoration?)?.color, isNull);
   });
 
-  testWidgets('expanded TV rail keeps its surface transparent', (tester) async {
+  testWidgets('expanded TV rail draws an opaque surface', (tester) async {
     TvDetectionService.debugSetAppleTVOverride(true);
     addTearDown(() => TvDetectionService.debugSetAppleTVOverride(null));
     await SettingsService.getInstance();
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ void main() {
           find.descendant(of: find.byType(SideNavigationRail), matching: find.byType(AnimatedOpacity)),
         )
         .singleWhere((widget) => widget.child is ColoredBox);
-    expect(surfaceOpacity.opacity, 0.0);
+    expect(surfaceOpacity.opacity, 1.0);
   });
 
   testWidgets('expanded rail keeps selected background outside sidebar keyboard focus', (tester) async {