diff --git a/Model/Player/Backends/MPVBackend.swift b/Model/Player/Backends/MPVBackend.swift
index 49b95c83..2370e676 100644
--- a/Model/Player/Backends/MPVBackend.swift
+++ b/Model/Player/Backends/MPVBackend.swift
@@ -327,9 +327,13 @@ final class MPVBackend: PlayerBackend {
     func closePiP(wasPlaying _: Bool) {}
 
     func updateControls() {
-        guard model.presentingPlayer else {
+        self.logger.info("updating controls")
+
+        guard model.presentingPlayer, !model.controls.presentingOverlays else {
+            self.logger.info("ignored controls update")
             return
         }
+
         DispatchQueue.main.async { [weak self] in
             guard let self = self else {
                 return
@@ -341,6 +345,10 @@ final class MPVBackend: PlayerBackend {
     }
 
     func startControlsUpdates() {
+        guard model.presentingPlayer, !model.controls.presentingOverlays else {
+            self.logger.info("ignored controls update start")
+            return
+        }
         self.logger.info("starting controls updates")
         controlsUpdates = true
     }
diff --git a/Model/Player/PlayerControlsModel.swift b/Model/Player/PlayerControlsModel.swift
index e333be07..3f216c8b 100644
--- a/Model/Player/PlayerControlsModel.swift
+++ b/Model/Player/PlayerControlsModel.swift
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ final class PlayerControlsModel: ObservableObject {
     @Published var presentingControls = false { didSet { handlePresentationChange() } }
     @Published var presentingControlsOverlay = false { didSet { handleSettingsOverlayPresentationChange() } }
     @Published var presentingDetailsOverlay = false { didSet { handleDetailsOverlayPresentationChange() } }
-    @Published var timer: Timer?
+    var timer: Timer?
 
     #if os(tvOS)
         var reporter = PassthroughSubject<String, Never>()
diff --git a/Model/Player/PlayerModel.swift b/Model/Player/PlayerModel.swift
index f412b3ff..33b1af45 100644
--- a/Model/Player/PlayerModel.swift
+++ b/Model/Player/PlayerModel.swift
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@ final class PlayerModel: ObservableObject {
 
     var avPlayerBackend: AVPlayerBackend!
     var mpvBackend: MPVBackend!
+    #if !os(macOS)
+        var mpvController = MPVViewController()
+    #endif
 
     var backends: [PlayerBackend] {
         [avPlayerBackend, mpvBackend]
@@ -190,6 +193,11 @@ final class PlayerModel: ObservableObject {
             networkState: networkState
         )
 
+        #if !os(macOS)
+            mpvBackend.controller = mpvController
+            mpvBackend.client = mpvController.client
+        #endif
+
         Defaults[.activeBackend] = .mpv
         playbackMode = Defaults[.playbackMode]
     }
diff --git a/Shared/Views/MPVPlayerView.swift b/Shared/Views/MPVPlayerView.swift
index fd5cdab5..8a9afa3c 100644
--- a/Shared/Views/MPVPlayerView.swift
+++ b/Shared/Views/MPVPlayerView.swift
@@ -2,15 +2,10 @@ import SwiftUI
 
 #if !os(macOS)
     struct MPVPlayerView: UIViewControllerRepresentable {
-        @State private var controller = MPVViewController()
-
         @EnvironmentObject<PlayerModel> private var player
 
         func makeUIViewController(context _: Context) -> some UIViewController {
-            player.mpvBackend.controller = controller
-            player.mpvBackend.client = controller.client
-
-            return controller
+            player.mpvController
         }
 
         func updateUIViewController(_: UIViewControllerType, context _: Context) {}