diff --git a/playback-sdk-android/src/main/java/com/streamamg/PlaybackSDKManager.kt b/playback-sdk-android/src/main/java/com/streamamg/PlaybackSDKManager.kt
index 28f7566..6f8e851 100644
--- a/playback-sdk-android/src/main/java/com/streamamg/PlaybackSDKManager.kt
+++ b/playback-sdk-android/src/main/java/com/streamamg/PlaybackSDKManager.kt
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ object PlaybackSDKManager {
 
     //region Private Properties
 
-    private lateinit var playBackAPI: PlaybackAPI
+    private var playBackAPI: PlaybackAPI? = null
     private lateinit var playerInformationAPI: PlayerInformationAPI
 
     private lateinit var amgAPIKey: String
@@ -164,15 +164,15 @@ object PlaybackSDKManager {
         completion: (URL?, PlaybackAPIError?) -> Unit
     ) {
         coroutineScope.launch(Dispatchers.IO) {
-            playBackAPI.getVideoDetails(entryId, authorizationToken, userAgent)
-                .catch { e ->
+            playBackAPI?.getVideoDetails(entryId, authorizationToken, userAgent)
+                ?.catch { e ->
                     // Handle the PlaybackAPIError or any other Throwable as a PlaybackAPIError
                     when (e) {
                         is PlaybackAPIError -> completion(null, e)
                         else -> completion(null, PlaybackAPIError.NetworkError(e))
                     }
                 }
-                .collect { videoDetails ->
+                ?.collect { videoDetails ->
                     // Successfully retrieved video details, now check for the HLS URL
                     val hlsURLString = videoDetails.media?.hls
                     if (!hlsURLString.isNullOrEmpty()) {
diff --git a/playback-sdk-android/src/main/java/com/streamamg/player/plugin/bitmovin/VideoPlayerViewModel.kt b/playback-sdk-android/src/main/java/com/streamamg/player/plugin/bitmovin/VideoPlayerViewModel.kt
index ecc5f1b..cf131b0 100644
--- a/playback-sdk-android/src/main/java/com/streamamg/player/plugin/bitmovin/VideoPlayerViewModel.kt
+++ b/playback-sdk-android/src/main/java/com/streamamg/player/plugin/bitmovin/VideoPlayerViewModel.kt
@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@ import androidx.lifecycle.findViewTreeLifecycleOwner
 import androidx.lifecycle.viewModelScope
 import com.bitmovin.player.api.Player
 import com.bitmovin.player.api.PlayerConfig
+import com.bitmovin.player.api.event.Event
 import com.bitmovin.player.api.event.PlayerEvent
+import com.bitmovin.player.api.event.on
 import com.bitmovin.player.api.source.SourceConfig
 import com.streamamg.PlaybackSDKManager
 import com.streamamg.player.plugin.VideoPlayerConfig
@@ -30,6 +32,7 @@ class VideoPlayerViewModel : ViewModel() {
     private var backgroundPlaybackEnabled = false
     private var autoplayEnabled = false
     private var isPermissionsGranted = false
+    private var isPlayerPaused = false
     private var _isPlayerReady = MutableStateFlow(false)
     val isPlayerReady: StateFlow<Boolean>
         get() = _isPlayerReady
@@ -77,10 +80,9 @@ class VideoPlayerViewModel : ViewModel() {
     private fun loadVideo(videoUrl: String) {
         if (!urlsAreEqualExcludingKs(currentVideoUrl ?: "", videoUrl)) {
             val sourceConfig = SourceConfig.fromUrl(videoUrl)
-            Log.d("SDK", "Loading new Source")
+            isPlayerPaused = false
             player?.load(sourceConfig)
         }
-        Log.d("SDK", "Loading existing source")
         currentVideoUrl = videoUrl
         player?.next(PlayerEvent.Ready::class.java) {
             _isPlayerReady.value = true
@@ -88,7 +90,10 @@ class VideoPlayerViewModel : ViewModel() {
         player?.next(PlayerEvent.Error::class.java) {
             Log.d("SDK", "Player error")
         }
-        if (autoplayEnabled) {
+        player?.next(PlayerEvent.Paused::class) {
+            isPlayerPaused = player?.isPaused == true
+        }
+        if (autoplayEnabled && !isPlayerPaused) {
             player?.play()
         }
 
@@ -132,7 +137,7 @@ class VideoPlayerViewModel : ViewModel() {
     fun handleAppInForeground(context: Context) {
         if (backgroundPlaybackEnabled && _isPlayerReady.value) {
             unbindFromService(context)
-        } else if (autoplayEnabled) {
+        } else if (autoplayEnabled && !isPlayerPaused) {
             player?.play()
         }
     }