diff --git a/ios/RCTVideo.m b/ios/RCTVideo.m
index 5fd921cdb9..a9734f7d7d 100644
--- a/ios/RCTVideo.m
+++ b/ios/RCTVideo.m
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ @implementation RCTVideo
   BOOL _playerItemObserversSet;
   BOOL _playerBufferEmpty;
   AVPlayerLayer *_playerLayer;
+  BOOL _playerLayerObserverSet;
   AVPlayerViewController *_playerViewController;
   NSURL *_videoURL;
 
@@ -794,6 +795,7 @@ - (void)usePlayerLayer
       // resize mode must be set before layer is added
       [self setResizeMode:_resizeMode];
       [_playerLayer addObserver:self forKeyPath:readyForDisplayKeyPath options:NSKeyValueObservingOptionNew context:nil];
+      _playerLayerObserverSet = YES;
 
       [self.layer addSublayer:_playerLayer];
       self.layer.needsDisplayOnBoundsChange = YES;
@@ -832,7 +834,10 @@ - (void)setProgressUpdateInterval:(float)progressUpdateInterval
 - (void)removePlayerLayer
 {
     [_playerLayer removeFromSuperlayer];
-    [_playerLayer removeObserver:self forKeyPath:readyForDisplayKeyPath];
+    if (_playerLayerObserverSet) {
+      [_playerLayer removeObserver:self forKeyPath:readyForDisplayKeyPath];
+      _playerLayerObserverSet = NO;
+    }
     _playerLayer = nil;
 }