diff --git a/lib/utils/platform_detector.dart b/lib/utils/platform_detector.dart
index 6bf084d1..20275c74 100644
--- a/lib/utils/platform_detector.dart
+++ b/lib/utils/platform_detector.dart
@@ -48,6 +48,25 @@ AndroidTvFeatureDetection detectAndroidTvFromSystemFeatures(Iterable<String> fea
   );
 }
 
+/// Whether a floating player may be offered, given the host platform's own
+/// picture-in-picture capability and the detected form factor.
+///
+/// Cars commonly lack `FEATURE_PICTURE_IN_PICTURE`, and a floating player would
+/// keep the app's UI on screen while driving, which `DD-2` forbids. TV form
+/// factors have no windowed surface to float into.
+///
+/// [hostSupportsPictureInPicture] is injected rather than read from [Platform]
+/// so the form-factor vetoes stay observable on hosts that never support PiP:
+/// on the Linux and Windows CI runners every [Platform] branch of the real gate
+/// is false and unmockable, which would otherwise make the vetoes vacuous
+/// exactly where the release is gated.
+bool pictureInPictureAllowed({
+  required bool hostSupportsPictureInPicture,
+  required bool isAppleTv,
+  required bool isTv,
+  required bool isAutomotive,
+}) => hostSupportsPictureInPicture && !isAppleTv && !isTv && !isAutomotive;
+
 /// Service for detecting if the app is running on Android TV or Apple TV.
 class TvDetectionService {
   static final AsyncSingleton<TvDetectionService> _singleton = AsyncSingleton();
@@ -267,11 +286,12 @@ class PlatformDetector {
     return isAppleTV() || isDesktopOS() || (Platform.isAndroid && isTV());
   }
 
-  static bool supportsPictureInPicture() {
-    // Cars commonly lack FEATURE_PICTURE_IN_PICTURE, and a floating player
-    // would keep the app's UI on screen while driving, which `DD-2` forbids.
-    return !isAppleTV() && !isTV() && !isAutomotive() && (Platform.isAndroid || Platform.isIOS || Platform.isMacOS);
-  }
+  static bool supportsPictureInPicture() => pictureInPictureAllowed(
+    hostSupportsPictureInPicture: Platform.isAndroid || Platform.isIOS || Platform.isMacOS,
+    isAppleTv: isAppleTV(),
+    isTv: isTV(),
+    isAutomotive: isAutomotive(),
+  );
 
   /// Detects if the device is likely a tablet based on screen size
   /// Uses diagonal screen size to determine if device is a tablet
diff --git a/test/services/settings_service_test.dart b/test/services/settings_service_test.dart
index 1c4c4282..940f0d2d 100644
--- a/test/services/settings_service_test.dart
+++ b/test/services/settings_service_test.dart
@@ -236,7 +236,13 @@ void main() {
       final settings = await SettingsService.getInstance();
       await settings.write(SettingsService.autoPip, true);
 
-      expect(settings.read(SettingsService.autoPip), isTrue);
+      // The pref can only surface a stored true where the host itself supports
+      // PiP. That term is Platform.isAndroid/isIOS/isMacOS, unmockable and false
+      // on the Linux and Windows CI hosts, where the gate pins the pref off no
+      // matter what is stored. pictureInPictureAllowed covers the automotive
+      // veto itself on every host.
+      final hostSupportsPip = PlatformDetector.supportsPictureInPicture();
+      expect(settings.read(SettingsService.autoPip), hostSupportsPip ? isTrue : isFalse);
 
       TvDetectionService.debugSetAutomotiveOverride(true);
 
diff --git a/test/utils/platform_detector_test.dart b/test/utils/platform_detector_test.dart
index 7624c2c5..a89255f3 100644
--- a/test/utils/platform_detector_test.dart
+++ b/test/utils/platform_detector_test.dart
@@ -113,4 +113,32 @@ void main() {
       expect(detection.isAutomotive, isFalse);
     });
   });
+
+  group('pictureInPictureAllowed', () {
+    bool allowed({bool host = true, bool appleTv = false, bool tv = false, bool automotive = false}) =>
+        pictureInPictureAllowed(
+          hostSupportsPictureInPicture: host,
+          isAppleTv: appleTv,
+          isTv: tv,
+          isAutomotive: automotive,
+        );
+
+    test('a plain handheld host may float a player', () {
+      expect(allowed(), isTrue);
+    });
+
+    test('automotive vetoes a host that otherwise supports PiP', () {
+      expect(allowed(automotive: true), isFalse);
+    });
+
+    test('TV form factors veto a host that otherwise supports PiP', () {
+      expect(allowed(tv: true), isFalse);
+      expect(allowed(appleTv: true), isFalse);
+    });
+
+    test('a host without PiP is never allowed, whatever the form factor', () {
+      expect(allowed(host: false), isFalse);
+      expect(allowed(host: false, automotive: true), isFalse);
+    });
+  });
 }