diff --git a/Engine/media/video/video.cpp b/Engine/media/video/video.cpp
index caefbf7fad2..f6eff9158c3 100644
--- a/Engine/media/video/video.cpp
+++ b/Engine/media/video/video.cpp
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@
 #include "media/video/video.h"
 
 #ifndef AGS_NO_VIDEO_PLAYER
+#include <chrono>
+#include <mutex>
+#include <thread>
 #include "core/assetmanager.h"
 #include "ac/draw.h"
 #include "ac/game.h"
@@ -53,8 +56,7 @@ class BlockingVideoPlayer : public GameState
         int video_flags, int state_flags, VideoSkipType skip);
     ~BlockingVideoPlayer();
 
-    const VideoPlayer *GetVideoPlayer() const { return _player.get(); }
-    PlaybackState GetPlayState() const { return _player->GetPlayState(); }
+    PlaybackState GetPlayState() const { return _playbackState; }
 
     void Begin() override;
     void End() override;
@@ -65,6 +67,10 @@ class BlockingVideoPlayer : public GameState
     void Resume() override;
 
 private:
+#if !defined(AGS_DISABLE_THREADS)
+    static void PollVideo(BlockingVideoPlayer *self);
+#endif
+
     std::unique_ptr<VideoPlayer> _player;
     const String _assetName; // for diagnostics
     int _videoFlags = 0;
@@ -73,6 +79,9 @@ class BlockingVideoPlayer : public GameState
     Rect _dstRect;
     float _oldFps = 0.f;
     VideoSkipType _skip = VideoSkipNone;
+    std::thread _videoThread;
+    std::mutex _videoMutex;
+    PlaybackState _playbackState = PlayStateInvalid;
 };
 
 BlockingVideoPlayer::BlockingVideoPlayer(std::unique_ptr<VideoPlayer> player,
@@ -140,10 +149,20 @@ void BlockingVideoPlayer::Begin()
     set_game_speed(_player->GetFramerate());
 
     _player->Play();
+    _playbackState = _player->GetPlayState();
+
+#if !defined(AGS_DISABLE_THREADS)
+    _videoThread = std::thread(BlockingVideoPlayer::PollVideo, this);
+#endif
 }
 
 void BlockingVideoPlayer::End()
 {
+#if !defined(AGS_DISABLE_THREADS)
+    if (_videoThread.joinable())
+        _videoThread.join();
+#endif
+
     if (_videoDDB)
         gfxDriver->DestroyDDB(_videoDDB);
     _videoDDB = nullptr;
@@ -168,12 +187,14 @@ void BlockingVideoPlayer::End()
 void BlockingVideoPlayer::Pause()
 {
     assert(_player);
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lk(_videoMutex);
     _player->Pause();
 }
 
 void BlockingVideoPlayer::Resume()
 {
     assert(_player);
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lk(_videoMutex);
     _player->Play();
 }
 
@@ -190,19 +211,31 @@ bool BlockingVideoPlayer::Run()
     // Check user input skipping the video
     if (video_check_user_input(_skip))
         return false;
-    
+
+#if defined(AGS_DISABLE_THREADS)
     if (!_player->Poll())
         return false;
+#endif
 
     // update/render next frame
     if ((_videoFlags & kVideo_EnableVideo) != 0)
     {
-        auto frame = _player->GetReadyFrame();
+        std::unique_ptr<Bitmap> frame;
+        {
+            std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lk(_videoMutex);
+            frame = _player->GetReadyFrame();
+        }
+
         if (frame)
         {
             gfxDriver->UpdateDDBFromBitmap(_videoDDB, frame.get(), false);
             _videoDDB->SetStretch(_dstRect.GetWidth(), _dstRect.GetHeight(), false);
-            _player->ReleaseFrame(std::move(frame));
+
+            {
+                std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lk(_videoMutex);
+                _player->ReleaseFrame(std::move(frame));
+                _playbackState = _player->GetPlayState();
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -210,7 +243,7 @@ bool BlockingVideoPlayer::Run()
 
     // update the game and wait for next frame
     UpdateGameAudioOnly();
-    return true;
+    return IsPlaybackReady(GetPlayState());
 }
 
 void BlockingVideoPlayer::Draw()
@@ -224,6 +257,27 @@ void BlockingVideoPlayer::Draw()
     render_to_screen();
 }
 
+#if !defined(AGS_DISABLE_THREADS)
+using namespace std::chrono_literals;
+/* static */ void BlockingVideoPlayer::PollVideo(BlockingVideoPlayer *self)
+{
+    assert(self && self->_player.get());
+    if (!self || !self->_player.get())
+        return;
+
+    bool do_run = true;
+    while (do_run)
+    {
+        {
+            std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lk(self->_videoMutex);
+            self->_player->Poll();
+            do_run = IsPlaybackReady(self->_player->GetPlayState());
+        }
+        std::this_thread::sleep_for(8ms);
+    }
+}
+#endif
+
 std::unique_ptr<BlockingVideoPlayer> gl_Video;
 
 } // namespace Engine
@@ -260,7 +314,7 @@ static bool video_check_user_input(VideoSkipType skip)
     return false;
 }
 
-static HError video_run(std::unique_ptr<VideoPlayer> video, const String &asset_name,
+static HError video_single_run(std::unique_ptr<VideoPlayer> video, const String &asset_name,
     int video_flags, int state_flags, VideoSkipType skip)
 {
     assert(video);
@@ -300,12 +354,12 @@ HError play_flc_video(int numb, int video_flags, int state_flags, VideoSkipType
             return new Error(String::FromFormat("FLIC animation flic%d.flc nor flic%d.fli were found", numb, numb));
     }
 
-    return video_run(std::make_unique<FlicPlayer>(), flicname, video_flags, state_flags, skip);
+    return video_single_run(std::make_unique<FlicPlayer>(), flicname, video_flags, state_flags, skip);
 }
 
 HError play_theora_video(const char *name, int video_flags, int state_flags, VideoSkipType skip)
 {
-    return video_run(std::make_unique<TheoraPlayer>(), name, video_flags, state_flags, skip);
+    return video_single_run(std::make_unique<TheoraPlayer>(), name, video_flags, state_flags, skip);
 }
 
 void video_single_pause()
diff --git a/Engine/media/video/videoplayer.cpp b/Engine/media/video/videoplayer.cpp
index c96284a2427..71074271804 100644
--- a/Engine/media/video/videoplayer.cpp
+++ b/Engine/media/video/videoplayer.cpp
@@ -409,8 +409,4 @@ bool VideoPlayer::ProcessAudio()
 } // namespace Engine
 } // namespace AGS
 
-#else // AGS_NO_VIDEO_PLAYER
-
-
-
-#endif // !AGS_NO_VIDEO_PLAYER
+#endif // AGS_NO_VIDEO_PLAYER