diff --git a/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart b/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
index 370cb369..2298dc73 100644
--- a/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
@@ -2132,6 +2132,7 @@ class VideoPlayerScreenState extends State<VideoPlayerScreen> with WidgetsBindin
       _startLiveTimelineUpdates();
     } catch (e) {
       appLogger.e('Failed to switch channel', error: e);
+      if (mounted) showErrorSnackBar(context, e.toString());
     } finally {
       _isSwitchingChannel = false;
     }
diff --git a/lib/services/plex_client.dart b/lib/services/plex_client.dart
index e6f82b79..86ce8913 100644
--- a/lib/services/plex_client.dart
+++ b/lib/services/plex_client.dart
@@ -2339,6 +2339,13 @@ class PlexClient {
       final container = _getMediaContainer(response);
       if (container == null) return null;
 
+      final containerStatus = container['status'];
+      if (containerStatus != null && containerStatus != 0 && containerStatus != 200) {
+        final msg = container['message'] ?? 'Unknown error';
+        appLogger.w('Tune channel error: $msg (status: $containerStatus)');
+        throw Exception(msg);
+      }
+
       // Metadata is nested: MediaSubscription[0].MediaGrabOperation[0].Metadata
       Map<String, dynamic>? metadataJson;
       final subscriptions = container['MediaSubscription'] as List?;
@@ -2358,7 +2365,7 @@ class PlexClient {
       metadataJson ??= (container['Metadata'] as List?)?.firstOrNull as Map<String, dynamic>?;
 
       if (metadataJson == null) {
-        appLogger.w('Tune channel: no metadata in response (keys: ${container.keys.toList()}, subscriptions: ${subscriptions?.length}, firstSub: ${subscriptions?.firstOrNull})');
+        appLogger.w('Tune channel failed: ${container['message'] ?? 'no metadata'} (status: ${container['status']}, keys: ${container.keys.toList()})');
         return null;
       }