diff --git a/libs/portal/stalker/feature/src/lib/stalker-series-view/stalker-series-view.component.ts b/libs/portal/stalker/feature/src/lib/stalker-series-view/stalker-series-view.component.ts
index 2fad986bb..109e8de5e 100644
--- a/libs/portal/stalker/feature/src/lib/stalker-series-view/stalker-series-view.component.ts
+++ b/libs/portal/stalker/feature/src/lib/stalker-series-view/stalker-series-view.component.ts
@@ -283,8 +283,11 @@ export class StalkerSeriesViewComponent implements OnDestroy {
     private unsubscribePositionUpdates: (() => void) | null = null;
     readonly openingEpisodeId = signal<number | null>(null);
     readonly activeEpisodeId = signal<number | null>(null);
-    /** Starts still resolving their stream (`create_link` round trips). */
-    private readonly pendingStartCount = signal(0);
+    /**
+     * Series ids of starts still resolving their stream (`create_link`
+     * round trips): only the series on screen counts as starting.
+     */
+    private readonly pendingStartSeriesIds = signal<readonly string[]>([]);
     readonly seasonWatchBatchRunning = signal(false);
 
     /**
@@ -401,7 +404,9 @@ export class StalkerSeriesViewComponent implements OnDestroy {
             ),
             playbackActive: computed(
                 () =>
-                    this.pendingStartCount() > 0 ||
+                    this.pendingStartSeriesIds().includes(
+                        String(this.displayItem()?.id ?? '')
+                    ) ||
                     this.inlinePlayback() !== null ||
                     this.openingEpisodeId() !== null ||
                     this.activeEpisodeId() !== null
@@ -1269,7 +1274,8 @@ export class StalkerSeriesViewComponent implements OnDestroy {
         };
         if (request.usesEmbeddedPlayer && !request.identity) return;
 
-        this.pendingStartCount.update((count) => count + 1);
+        const pendingSeriesId = String(this.displayItem()?.id ?? '');
+        this.pendingStartSeriesIds.update((ids) => [...ids, pendingSeriesId]);
         try {
             const playback = await this.stalkerStore.resolveVodPlayback(
                 cmd,
@@ -1323,7 +1329,12 @@ export class StalkerSeriesViewComponent implements OnDestroy {
                 duration: 3000,
             });
         } finally {
-            this.pendingStartCount.update((count) => count - 1);
+            this.pendingStartSeriesIds.update((ids) => {
+                const index = ids.indexOf(pendingSeriesId);
+                return index < 0
+                    ? ids
+                    : [...ids.slice(0, index), ...ids.slice(index + 1)];
+            });
         }
     }