diff --git a/mobile/src/changelog.ts b/mobile/src/changelog.ts
index bde74ad..a6f0049 100644
--- a/mobile/src/changelog.ts
+++ b/mobile/src/changelog.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,13 @@ export type ChangelogEntry = {
 };
 
 export const CHANGELOG: ChangelogEntry[] = [
+  {
+    id: '2026-08-20b',
+    date: 'August 2026',
+    items: [
+      'Fixed a crash that replaced the video with an error screen. If you left the app while a scene was still opening, or Android restored the player by itself, the player refused to start. It now waits until the app is back on screen and then plays normally.',
+    ],
+  },
   {
     id: '2026-08-20',
     date: 'August 2026',
diff --git a/mobile/src/screens/PlayerScreen.tsx b/mobile/src/screens/PlayerScreen.tsx
index 7b6a852..39d9e34 100644
--- a/mobile/src/screens/PlayerScreen.tsx
+++ b/mobile/src/screens/PlayerScreen.tsx
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {
   ActivityIndicator,
   Alert,
   Animated,
+  AppState,
   LayoutChangeEvent,
   Pressable,
   StatusBar,
@@ -133,7 +134,47 @@ function detectMode(url: string): 'video' | 'webview' {
   return 'video';
 }
 
+/** Bramka na konstruowanie playera.
+ *
+ * `new VideoPlayer(...)` w expo-video BEZWARUNKOWO wola w `init` startService dla
+ * androidx.media3 MediaSessionService (VideoPlayer.kt:233), a Android od 8.0 zabrania
+ * startu zwyklego serwisu z tla. Efekt: gdy ekran playera zamontuje sie, kiedy apka
+ * jest juz w tle (user wyszedl w trakcie resolve albo system wznowil stos ekranow),
+ * konstruktor rzuca IllegalStateException i uzytkownik dostaje ekran bledu zamiast
+ * wideo. GOON-12: 63 wystapienia, 28 osob, wszystkie z in_foreground=false.
+ *
+ * Nie da sie tego wylaczyc konfiguracja, wiec po prostu nie tworzymy playera, dopoki
+ * nie jestesmy na wierzchu. Hookow nie da sie warunkowac, stad osobny komponent.
+ * Bramka dziala TYLKO przy montowaniu: gdy player juz istnieje, zejscie w tlo jest
+ * bezpieczne (serwis jest zbindowany) i odtwarzania nie przerywamy.
+ */
 export function PlayerScreen() {
+  const [foreground, setForeground] = React.useState(
+    () => AppState.currentState === 'active',
+  );
+  React.useEffect(() => {
+    if (foreground) return;
+    const sub = AppState.addEventListener('change', (next) => {
+      if (next === 'active') setForeground(true);
+    });
+    return () => sub.remove();
+  }, [foreground]);
+
+  if (!foreground) {
+    return (
+      <View style={gateStyles.wait}>
+        <ActivityIndicator color="#fff" />
+      </View>
+    );
+  }
+  return <PlayerScreenActive />;
+}
+
+const gateStyles = StyleSheet.create({
+  wait: { flex: 1, backgroundColor: '#000', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center' },
+});
+
+function PlayerScreenActive() {
   const route = useRoute<RouteProp<RootStackParamList, 'Player'>>();
   const params = route.params as RouteParams;
   const mode = params.mode ?? detectMode(params.url);