diff --git a/ui/src/components/VideoPlayer.tsx b/ui/src/components/VideoPlayer.tsx
index 71141339..d2d687ba 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/VideoPlayer.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/VideoPlayer.tsx
@@ -209,6 +209,7 @@ export function VideoPlayer({
   const audioFallbackAppliedRef = useRef(false);
   const [faceOverlayEnabled, setFaceOverlayEnabled] = usePersistedFlag(FACE_OVERLAY_KEY, false);
   const playbackTracker = useRef(createPlaybackTracker());
+  const sourceRef = useRef<HTMLSourceElement>(null);
   const hideTimer = useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>>(null);
   const playTriggered = useRef(false);
   const sourceRestoreRef = useRef<{ time: number; shouldPlay: boolean } | null>(null);
@@ -550,6 +551,7 @@ export function VideoPlayer({
   const transcodeResolution = selectedQuality === SOURCE_TRANSCODE_QUALITY ? undefined : selectedQuality;
   const effectiveStreamUrl = selectedQuality === "Direct" ? streamUrl : videos.transcodeUrl(videoId, transcodeResolution, transcodeStartSec > 0 ? transcodeStartSec : undefined);
   const effectiveSourceType = selectedQuality === "Direct" ? getVideoSourceMimeType(format) : "video/mp4";
+  const effectiveSourceSignature = `${effectiveStreamUrl}|${effectiveSourceType ?? ""}`;
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const v = videoRef.current;
@@ -596,13 +598,12 @@ export function VideoPlayer({
 
     pendingAutostartRef.current = true;
     const video = videoRef.current;
-    const sourceSignature = `${effectiveStreamUrl}|${format || "mp4"}`;
-    if (!video || lastLoadedSourceRef.current !== sourceSignature) {
+    if (!video || lastLoadedSourceRef.current !== effectiveSourceSignature) {
       return;
     }
 
     video.play().catch(() => {});
-  }, [autostart, autostartToken, effectiveStreamUrl, format]);
+  }, [autostart, autostartToken, effectiveSourceSignature]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const handler = () => setPip(document.pictureInPictureElement === videoRef.current);
@@ -1033,11 +1034,24 @@ export function VideoPlayer({
       return;
     }
 
-    const sourceSignature = `${effectiveStreamUrl}|${format || "mp4"}`;
-    if (lastLoadedSourceRef.current === sourceSignature) {
+    const source = sourceRef.current ?? video.querySelector("source");
+    const sourceSrcMatches = source?.getAttribute("src") === effectiveStreamUrl;
+    const sourceTypeMatches = effectiveSourceType
+      ? source?.getAttribute("type") === effectiveSourceType
+      : !source?.hasAttribute("type");
+    if (lastLoadedSourceRef.current === effectiveSourceSignature && sourceSrcMatches && sourceTypeMatches) {
       return;
     }
-    lastLoadedSourceRef.current = sourceSignature;
+    lastLoadedSourceRef.current = effectiveSourceSignature;
+
+    if (source) {
+      source.setAttribute("src", effectiveStreamUrl);
+      if (effectiveSourceType) {
+        source.setAttribute("type", effectiveSourceType);
+      } else {
+        source.removeAttribute("type");
+      }
+    }
 
     const pendingRestore = sourceRestoreRef.current;
     sourceRestoreRef.current = null;
@@ -1073,7 +1087,7 @@ export function VideoPlayer({
     return () => {
       video.removeEventListener("loadedmetadata", handleLoadedMetadata);
     };
-  }, [clip, duration, effectiveResumeTime, effectiveStreamUrl, format, playerVideoStartMinDuration, playerVideoStartPercent, selectedQuality, transcodeStartSec]);
+  }, [clip, duration, effectiveResumeTime, effectiveSourceSignature, effectiveSourceType, effectiveStreamUrl, playerVideoStartMinDuration, playerVideoStartPercent, selectedQuality, transcodeStartSec]);
 
   // Release the media element's network connection when the player unmounts. Without this, leaving a
   // video (back to the list, or advancing to the next item in a queue when the player is keyed by id)
@@ -1093,6 +1107,7 @@ export function VideoPlayer({
         video.querySelectorAll("source").forEach((s) => s.removeAttribute("src"));
         video.removeAttribute("src");
         video.load();
+        lastLoadedSourceRef.current = null;
       } catch {
         // Ignore — element may already be detached.
       }
@@ -1258,7 +1273,7 @@ export function VideoPlayer({
           onEndedProp?.();
         }}
       >
-        <source src={effectiveStreamUrl} type={effectiveSourceType} />
+        <source ref={sourceRef} src={effectiveStreamUrl} type={effectiveSourceType} />
         {captions?.map((cap, idx) => (
           <track
             key={cap.id}
diff --git a/ui/src/test/VideoPlayer.test.tsx b/ui/src/test/VideoPlayer.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..51c06993
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/src/test/VideoPlayer.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+import React from "react";
+import { render, waitFor } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { beforeAll, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { VideoPlayer } from "../components/VideoPlayer";
+
+vi.mock("../state/AppConfigContext", () => ({
+  useAppConfig: () => ({ config: { ui: {} } }),
+}));
+
+const playMock = vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve());
+const pauseMock = vi.fn();
+const loadMock = vi.fn();
+const localStorageMock = {
+  getItem: vi.fn(() => null),
+  setItem: vi.fn(),
+  removeItem: vi.fn(),
+};
+
+class ResizeObserverMock {
+  observe() {}
+  unobserve() {}
+  disconnect() {}
+}
+
+beforeAll(() => {
+  vi.stubGlobal("ResizeObserver", ResizeObserverMock);
+  vi.stubGlobal("localStorage", localStorageMock);
+
+  Object.defineProperty(HTMLMediaElement.prototype, "play", {
+    configurable: true,
+    writable: true,
+    value: playMock,
+  });
+  Object.defineProperty(HTMLMediaElement.prototype, "pause", {
+    configurable: true,
+    writable: true,
+    value: pauseMock,
+  });
+  Object.defineProperty(HTMLMediaElement.prototype, "load", {
+    configurable: true,
+    writable: true,
+    value: loadMock,
+  });
+});
+
+describe("VideoPlayer source lifecycle", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    playMock.mockClear();
+    pauseMock.mockClear();
+    loadMock.mockClear();
+  });
+
+  it("restores the rendered source after StrictMode replays mount effects", async () => {
+    const { container } = render(
+      <React.StrictMode>
+        <VideoPlayer
+          streamUrl="/api/stream/video/1"
+          format="mp4"
+          duration={120}
+          videoId={1}
+          detections={[]}
+          trackingEnabled={false}
+        />
+      </React.StrictMode>,
+    );
+
+    const source = container.querySelector("source");
+    expect(source).toBeInstanceOf(HTMLSourceElement);
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(source).toHaveAttribute("src", "/api/stream/video/1");
+      expect(source).toHaveAttribute("type", "video/mp4");
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("does not declare a misleading MIME type for unknown direct video streams", () => {
+    const { container } = render(
+      <VideoPlayer
+        streamUrl="/api/stream/video/8912"
+        format="mpegts"
+        duration={120}
+        videoId={8912}
+        detections={[]}
+        trackingEnabled={false}
+      />,
+    );
+
+    const source = container.querySelector("source");
+    expect(source).toBeInstanceOf(HTMLSourceElement);
+    expect(source).not.toHaveAttribute("type");
+  });
+});