diff --git a/android/src/main/java/com/brentvatne/exoplayer/ReactExoplayerView.java b/android/src/main/java/com/brentvatne/exoplayer/ReactExoplayerView.java
index 0d6934f15c..27a3478ecc 100644
--- a/android/src/main/java/com/brentvatne/exoplayer/ReactExoplayerView.java
+++ b/android/src/main/java/com/brentvatne/exoplayer/ReactExoplayerView.java
@@ -1172,12 +1172,16 @@ private OnAudioFocusChangedListener(ReactExoplayerView view, ThemedReactContext
 
         @Override
         public void onAudioFocusChange(int focusChange) {
+            Activity activity = themedReactContext.getCurrentActivity();
+
             switch (focusChange) {
                 case AudioManager.AUDIOFOCUS_LOSS:
                     view.hasAudioFocus = false;
                     view.eventEmitter.audioFocusChanged(false);
                     // FIXME this pause can cause issue if content doesn't have pause capability (can happen on live channel)
-                    view.pausePlayback();
+                    if (activity != null) {
+                        activity.runOnUiThread(view::pausePlayback);
+                    }
                     view.audioManager.abandonAudioFocus(this);
                     break;
                 case AudioManager.AUDIOFOCUS_LOSS_TRANSIENT:
@@ -1191,7 +1195,6 @@ public void onAudioFocusChange(int focusChange) {
                     break;
             }
 
-            Activity activity = themedReactContext.getCurrentActivity();
             if (view.player != null && activity != null) {
                 if (focusChange == AudioManager.AUDIOFOCUS_LOSS_TRANSIENT_CAN_DUCK) {
                     // Lower the volume