diff --git a/Engine/media/video/video.cpp b/Engine/media/video/video.cpp
index 0696179b9f7..4486f4f1b8d 100644
--- a/Engine/media/video/video.cpp
+++ b/Engine/media/video/video.cpp
@@ -327,12 +327,10 @@ AGS::Common::HError play_video(const char *name, int video_flags, int &sprite_nu
         // FIXME: return errors from slot_init?
         return new Error(String::FromFormat("Failed to initialize video player for %s", name));
 
-    // Allocate a sprite slot for this video frames, use dummy empty bitmap as a placeholder
-    // FIXME: can we avoid this? alternatives:
-    // - allocate a sprite slot when the first video frame is buffered and ready.
-    // - ask videoplayer to create a dummy black frame, show in case frame is late or error, etc.
-    std::unique_ptr<AGS::Common::Bitmap> image(new Bitmap(1,1,game.GetColorDepth()));
-    int sprite_slot = add_dynamic_sprite(std::move(image));
+    // Allocate a sprite slot for this video player's frames;
+    // note that the very first frame could be a dummy frame created as a placeholder
+    auto first_frame = video_core_slot_acquire_vframe(video_slot);
+    int sprite_slot = add_dynamic_sprite(std::move(first_frame));
     if (sprite_slot <= 0)
         return new Error("No free sprite slot to render video to");
 
@@ -376,13 +374,8 @@ void sync_video_playback()
             auto old_sprite = spriteset.RemoveSprite(sprite_slot);
             spriteset.SetSprite(sprite_slot, std::move(new_frame), SPF_DYNAMICALLOC);
             game_sprite_updated(sprite_slot, false);
-            // FIXME: this is a hack related to the temp frame,
-            // see comments in play_video and fix this
-            if (old_sprite->GetSize() != Size(1, 1))
-            {
-                // Give old frame back to video
-                video_core_slot_release_vframe(video_slot, std::move(old_sprite));
-            }
+            // Give old frame back to video
+            video_core_slot_release_vframe(video_slot, std::move(old_sprite));
             ++it;
         }
         else
diff --git a/Engine/media/video/video_core.cpp b/Engine/media/video/video_core.cpp
index 89c993221c5..27afa5378ec 100644
--- a/Engine/media/video/video_core.cpp
+++ b/Engine/media/video/video_core.cpp
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ std::unique_ptr<AGS::Common::Bitmap> video_core_slot_acquire_vframe(int slot_han
     std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lk(g_vcore.poll_mutex_m);
     auto frame = g_vcore.slots_[slot_handle]->GetReadyFrame();
     g_vcore.poll_cv.notify_all();
-    return std::move(frame);
+    return frame;
 }
 
 void video_core_slot_release_vframe(int slot_handle, std::unique_ptr<AGS::Common::Bitmap> frame)
diff --git a/Engine/media/video/videoplayer.cpp b/Engine/media/video/videoplayer.cpp
index c1bbd1b774d..8bd85746a3f 100644
--- a/Engine/media/video/videoplayer.cpp
+++ b/Engine/media/video/videoplayer.cpp
@@ -91,6 +91,20 @@ void VideoPlayer::SetTargetFrame(const Size &target_sz)
     {
         _hicolBuf.reset();
     }
+
+    // TODO: reset the buffered queue, and seek back?
+
+    if (_videoReadyFrame)
+    {
+        auto old_frame = std::move(_videoReadyFrame);
+        _videoReadyFrame.reset(new Bitmap(_targetSize.Width, _targetSize.Height, _targetDepth));
+        _videoReadyFrame->StretchBlt(_videoReadyFrame.get(), RectWH(_targetSize));
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        _videoReadyFrame.reset(new Bitmap(_targetSize.Width, _targetSize.Height, _targetDepth));
+        _videoReadyFrame->ClearTransparent();
+    }
 }
 
 void VideoPlayer::Stop()