diff --git a/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart b/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
index 858a4ad6..d871e143 100644
--- a/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
@@ -109,6 +109,10 @@ class VideoPlayerScreenState extends State<VideoPlayerScreen> with WidgetsBindin
   late final FocusNode _playNextCancelFocusNode;
   late final FocusNode _playNextConfirmFocusNode;
 
+  // Screen-level focus node: persists across loading/initialized phases so
+  // key events never escape the video player route.
+  late final FocusNode _screenFocusNode;
+
   // App lifecycle state tracking
   bool _wasPlayingBeforeInactive = false;
 
@@ -146,6 +150,11 @@ class VideoPlayerScreenState extends State<VideoPlayerScreen> with WidgetsBindin
     _playNextCancelFocusNode = FocusNode(debugLabel: 'PlayNextCancel');
     _playNextConfirmFocusNode = FocusNode(debugLabel: 'PlayNextConfirm');
 
+    // Screen-level focus node that wraps the entire build output.
+    // Ensures a single stable focus target across loading → initialized phases.
+    _screenFocusNode = FocusNode(debugLabel: 'VideoPlayerScreen');
+    _screenFocusNode.addListener(_onScreenFocusChanged);
+
     appLogger.d('VideoPlayerScreen initialized for: ${widget.metadata.title}');
     if (widget.preferredAudioTrack != null) {
       appLogger.d(
@@ -1138,6 +1147,10 @@ class VideoPlayerScreenState extends State<VideoPlayerScreen> with WidgetsBindin
     _playNextCancelFocusNode.dispose();
     _playNextConfirmFocusNode.dispose();
 
+    // Dispose screen-level focus node
+    _screenFocusNode.removeListener(_onScreenFocusChanged);
+    _screenFocusNode.dispose();
+
     // Clear media controls and dispose manager
     _mediaControlsManager?.clear();
     _mediaControlsManager?.dispose();
@@ -1186,6 +1199,20 @@ class VideoPlayerScreenState extends State<VideoPlayerScreen> with WidgetsBindin
     super.dispose();
   }
 
+  /// When focus leaves the entire video player subtree, reclaim it.
+  /// `_screenFocusNode.hasFocus` is true when the node itself OR any
+  /// descendant has focus, so internal movement between child controls
+  /// does NOT trigger this.
+  void _onScreenFocusChanged() {
+    if (!_screenFocusNode.hasFocus && mounted && !_isExiting.value) {
+      WidgetsBinding.instance.addPostFrameCallback((_) {
+        if (mounted && !_isExiting.value && !_screenFocusNode.hasFocus) {
+          _screenFocusNode.requestFocus();
+        }
+      });
+    }
+  }
+
   void _onPlayingStateChanged(bool isPlaying) {
     // Toggle wakelock based on playback state
     if (isPlaying) {
@@ -1606,20 +1633,30 @@ class VideoPlayerScreenState extends State<VideoPlayerScreen> with WidgetsBindin
     }
   }
 
+  Widget _buildLoadingSpinner() {
+    return const Scaffold(
+      backgroundColor: Colors.black,
+      body: Center(child: CircularProgressIndicator(color: Colors.white)),
+    );
+  }
+
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
-    // Show loading indicator while player initializes
-    if (!_isPlayerInitialized || player == null) {
-      return Scaffold(
-        backgroundColor: Colors.black,
-        body: Focus(
-          autofocus: true,
-          onKeyEvent: (node, event) => KeyEventResult.handled,
-          child: const Center(child: CircularProgressIndicator(color: Colors.white)),
-        ),
-      );
-    }
+    // Screen-level Focus wraps ALL phases (loading + initialized).
+    // - autofocus: grabs focus when no deeper child claims it.
+    // - onKeyEvent: catch-all that consumes any event children didn't handle,
+    //   preventing leaks to previous routes.
+    return Focus(
+      focusNode: _screenFocusNode,
+      autofocus: true,
+      onKeyEvent: (node, event) => KeyEventResult.handled,
+      child: _isPlayerInitialized && player != null
+          ? _buildVideoPlayer(context)
+          : _buildLoadingSpinner(),
+    );
+  }
 
+  Widget _buildVideoPlayer(BuildContext context) {
     // Cache platform detection to avoid multiple calls
     final isMobile = PlatformDetector.isMobile(context);
 
diff --git a/lib/widgets/video_controls/video_controls.dart b/lib/widgets/video_controls/video_controls.dart
index 16190d47..f5b90d26 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/video_controls/video_controls.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/video_controls/video_controls.dart
@@ -1295,7 +1295,7 @@ class _PlexVideoControlsState extends State<PlexVideoControls> with WindowListen
       }
     }
 
-    return false; // Let event continue to other handlers
+    return true; // Consume all events while video player is active
   }
 
   /// Show controls and optionally focus play/pause on keyboard input (desktop only)