diff --git a/src/components/mediaViewer/MediaViewerSlides.tsx b/src/components/mediaViewer/MediaViewerSlides.tsx
index 533b2ac69..af4d972af 100644
--- a/src/components/mediaViewer/MediaViewerSlides.tsx
+++ b/src/components/mediaViewer/MediaViewerSlides.tsx
@@ -178,8 +178,9 @@ const MediaViewerSlides: FC<OwnProps> = ({
 
     return captureEvents(containerRef.current, {
       isNotPassive: true,
-      excludedClosestSelector: '.VideoPlayerControls, .MediaViewerFooter',
-      onCapture: () => {
+      excludedClosestSelector: '.MediaViewerFooter',
+      onCapture: (e) => {
+        if (checkIfControlTarget(e)) return;
         lastGestureTime = Date.now();
         if (arePropsShallowEqual(transformRef.current, { x: 0, y: 0, scale: 1 })) {
           if (!activeSlideRef.current) return;
@@ -193,6 +194,7 @@ const MediaViewerSlides: FC<OwnProps> = ({
         dragOffsetX,
         dragOffsetY,
       }) => {
+        if (checkIfControlTarget(event)) return;
         // Avoid conflicts with swipe-to-back gestures
         if (IS_IOS) {
           const { pageX } = (captureEvent as RealTouchEvent).touches[0];
@@ -553,3 +555,20 @@ export default memo(MediaViewerSlides);
 function getAnimationStyle(x = 0, y = 0, scale = 1) {
   return `transform: translate3d(${x.toFixed(3)}px, ${y.toFixed(3)}px, 0px) scale(${scale.toFixed(3)});`;
 }
+
+function checkIfInsideSelector(element: HTMLElement, selector: string) {
+  if (!element) return false;
+  if (element.matches(selector)) return true;
+  return Boolean(element.closest(selector));
+}
+
+function checkIfControlTarget(e: TouchEvent | MouseEvent) {
+  const target = e.target as HTMLElement;
+  if (checkIfInsideSelector(target, '.VideoPlayerControls')) {
+    if (checkIfInsideSelector(target, '.play, .fullscreen')) {
+      return true;
+    }
+    e.preventDefault();
+    return true;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/components/mediaViewer/VideoPlayerControls.scss b/src/components/mediaViewer/VideoPlayerControls.scss
index 56f083cc8..ae1f44438 100644
--- a/src/components/mediaViewer/VideoPlayerControls.scss
+++ b/src/components/mediaViewer/VideoPlayerControls.scss
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
   @media (max-width: 600px) {
     position: fixed;
-    padding: 1.25rem 0.5rem 0.75rem;
+    padding: 2.25rem 0.5rem 0.75rem;
     background: none;
     z-index: var(--z-media-viewer);
   }
@@ -110,6 +110,10 @@
     touch-action: none;
     cursor: pointer;
 
+    @media (max-width: 600px) {
+      top: 1rem;
+    }
+
     &-track {
       position: absolute;
       top: 50%;
diff --git a/src/components/mediaViewer/VideoPlayerControls.tsx b/src/components/mediaViewer/VideoPlayerControls.tsx
index b521f6a9c..c11d5fc56 100644
--- a/src/components/mediaViewer/VideoPlayerControls.tsx
+++ b/src/components/mediaViewer/VideoPlayerControls.tsx
@@ -52,12 +52,13 @@ const VideoPlayerControls: FC<IProps> = ({
 }) => {
   // eslint-disable-next-line no-null/no-null
   const seekerRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
-  const isSeeking = useRef<boolean>(false);
+  const isSeekingRef = useRef<boolean>(false);
+  const isSeeking = isSeekingRef.current;
 
 
   useEffect(() => {
     let timeout: number | undefined;
-    if (!isVisible || !isPlayed) {
+    if (!isVisible || !isPlayed || isSeeking) {
       if (timeout) window.clearTimeout(timeout);
       return;
     }
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ const VideoPlayerControls: FC<IProps> = ({
     return () => {
       if (timeout) window.clearTimeout(timeout);
     };
-  }, [isPlayed, isVisible, setVisibility]);
+  }, [isPlayed, isVisible, isSeeking, setVisibility]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (isVisible) {
@@ -83,7 +84,7 @@ const VideoPlayerControls: FC<IProps> = ({
   const lang = useLang();
 
   const handleSeek = useCallback((e: MouseEvent | TouchEvent) => {
-    if (isSeeking.current && seekerRef.current) {
+    if (isSeekingRef.current && seekerRef.current) {
       const {
         width,
         left,
@@ -94,12 +95,12 @@ const VideoPlayerControls: FC<IProps> = ({
   }, [duration, onSeek]);
 
   const handleStartSeek = useCallback((e: MouseEvent | TouchEvent) => {
-    isSeeking.current = true;
+    isSeekingRef.current = true;
     handleSeek(e);
   }, [handleSeek]);
 
   const handleStopSeek = useCallback(() => {
-    isSeeking.current = false;
+    isSeekingRef.current = false;
   }, []);
 
   useEffect(() => {