diff --git a/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart b/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
index d0902f04..eb2582c2 100644
--- a/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
@@ -850,13 +850,36 @@ class VideoPlayerScreenState extends State<VideoPlayerScreen> with WidgetsBindin
     if (!mounted) return;
 
     // Live TV mode: bypass standard playback initialization
-    if (widget.isLive && widget.liveStreamUrl != null) {
+    if (widget.isLive) {
       try {
         _hasFirstFrame.value = false;
         await player!.requestAudioFocus();
         await _setLiveStreamOptions();
 
-        await player!.open(Media(widget.liveStreamUrl!, headers: const {'Accept-Language': 'en'}), play: true);
+        String streamUrl;
+        if (widget.liveStreamUrl != null) {
+          streamUrl = widget.liveStreamUrl!;
+        } else {
+          // Tune channel inside the player (shows loading spinner while tuning)
+          final channels = widget.liveChannels;
+          final channelIndex = _liveChannelIndex;
+          if (channels == null || channelIndex < 0 || channelIndex >= channels.length) {
+            throw Exception('No channel to tune');
+          }
+          final channel = channels[channelIndex];
+          final channelId = channel.identifier ?? channel.key;
+          final client = widget.liveClient!;
+          final result = await client.tuneChannel(widget.liveDvrKey!, channelId);
+          if (result == null) throw Exception('Failed to tune channel');
+
+          streamUrl = '${client.config.baseUrl}${result.streamPath}'
+              .withPlexToken(client.config.token);
+
+          _liveSessionIdentifier = result.sessionIdentifier;
+          _liveSessionPath = result.sessionPath;
+        }
+
+        await player!.open(Media(streamUrl, headers: const {'Accept-Language': 'en'}), play: true);
 
         if (mounted) {
           setState(() {
@@ -865,6 +888,8 @@ class VideoPlayerScreenState extends State<VideoPlayerScreen> with WidgetsBindin
             _isPlayerInitialized = true;
           });
         }
+
+        _startLiveTimelineUpdates();
       } catch (e) {
         appLogger.e('Failed to start live TV playback', error: e);
         if (mounted) {
diff --git a/lib/utils/live_tv_player_navigation.dart b/lib/utils/live_tv_player_navigation.dart
index f55d6114..d93ad1a1 100644
--- a/lib/utils/live_tv_player_navigation.dart
+++ b/lib/utils/live_tv_player_navigation.dart
@@ -1,16 +1,17 @@
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 
 import '../models/livetv_channel.dart';
+import '../models/plex_metadata.dart';
 import '../screens/video_player_screen.dart';
 import '../services/plex_client.dart';
 import '../utils/app_logger.dart';
-import '../utils/plex_url_helper.dart';
 import '../utils/video_player_navigation.dart';
 
-/// Tune to a live TV channel and launch the video player.
+/// Navigate to the video player for a live TV channel.
 ///
-/// 1. Calls `tuneChannel()` to get metadata + stream path
-/// 2. Navigates to the VideoPlayerScreen with `isLive: true`
+/// Pushes the player screen immediately with a placeholder metadata.
+/// The actual tuning (tune POST + decision GET) happens inside the player,
+/// which shows a loading spinner while it works.
 ///
 /// [channels] is the full channel list for channel up/down navigation.
 Future<void> navigateToLiveTv(
@@ -21,43 +22,30 @@ Future<void> navigateToLiveTv(
   List<LiveTvChannel>? channels,
 }) async {
   final channelId = channel.identifier ?? channel.key;
-
-  final scaffoldMessenger = ScaffoldMessenger.of(context);
   final navigator = Navigator.of(context);
 
-  appLogger.d('Tuning to channel: ${channel.displayName} ($channelId)');
+  appLogger.d('Navigating to live channel: ${channel.displayName} ($channelId)');
 
-  final result = await client.tuneChannel(dvrKey, channelId);
-
-  if (result == null) {
-    appLogger.e('Failed to tune channel $channelId');
-    if (context.mounted) {
-      scaffoldMessenger.showSnackBar(
-        SnackBar(content: Text('Failed to tune to ${channel.displayName}')),
-      );
-    }
-    return;
-  }
-
-  final streamUrl = '${client.config.baseUrl}${result.streamPath}'.withPlexToken(client.config.token);
-
-  if (!context.mounted) return;
+  final placeholder = PlexMetadata(
+    ratingKey: channelId,
+    key: channelId,
+    type: 'clip',
+    title: channel.displayName,
+  );
 
   final route = PageRouteBuilder<bool>(
     settings: const RouteSettings(name: kVideoPlayerRouteName),
     pageBuilder: (context, animation, secondaryAnimation) => VideoPlayerScreen(
-      metadata: result.metadata,
+      metadata: placeholder,
       isLive: true,
       liveChannelName: channel.displayName,
-      liveStreamUrl: streamUrl,
+      liveStreamUrl: null,
       liveChannels: channels,
       liveCurrentChannelIndex: channels?.indexWhere(
         (ch) => (ch.identifier ?? ch.key) == channelId,
       ),
       liveDvrKey: dvrKey,
       liveClient: client,
-      liveSessionIdentifier: result.sessionIdentifier,
-      liveSessionPath: result.sessionPath,
     ),
     transitionDuration: Duration.zero,
     reverseTransitionDuration: Duration.zero,