diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/com/bolenpad/photophetch/ui/LivePhotoPlayer.kt b/src/main/kotlin/com/bolenpad/photophetch/ui/LivePhotoPlayer.kt
index e749e05..3ae242a 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/com/bolenpad/photophetch/ui/LivePhotoPlayer.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/com/bolenpad/photophetch/ui/LivePhotoPlayer.kt
@@ -3,88 +3,86 @@ package com.bolenpad.photophetch.ui
 import androidx.compose.runtime.*
 import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
 import androidx.compose.ui.awt.SwingPanel
-import javafx.application.Platform
-import javafx.embed.swing.JFXPanel
-import javafx.scene.Scene
-import javafx.scene.layout.StackPane
-import javafx.scene.media.Media
-import javafx.scene.media.MediaPlayer
-import javafx.scene.media.MediaView
-import javafx.util.Duration
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory
+import java.awt.BorderLayout
 import java.io.File
 import javax.swing.JPanel
-import java.awt.BorderLayout
+import javax.swing.SwingUtilities
 
 private val log = LoggerFactory.getLogger("LivePhotoPlayer")
 
 /**
  * Embeds a looping JavaFX MediaPlayer inside a Compose Desktop SwingPanel.
- * Used to play Live Photo companion MOV files inline in the preview dialog.
  *
- * JavaFX requires its toolkit to be initialized before use. We initialize it
- * lazily on first use via a JFXPanel (which triggers the JavaFX runtime).
+ * JavaFX toolkit must be initialized before use. We initialize it lazily
+ * via JFXPanel on first use.
  */
 @Composable
 fun LivePhotoPlayer(
     videoPath: String,
     modifier: Modifier = Modifier,
 ) {
-    // Hold a reference to the MediaPlayer so we can dispose it when the composable leaves
-    var mediaPlayer by remember { mutableStateOf<MediaPlayer?>(null) }
-
-    DisposableEffect(videoPath) {
-        onDispose {
-            mediaPlayer?.stop()
-            mediaPlayer?.dispose()
-        }
-    }
-
     SwingPanel(
         modifier = modifier,
         factory = {
             val panel = JPanel(BorderLayout())
 
-            // JFXPanel initializes the JavaFX runtime on first instantiation
-            val jfxPanel = JFXPanel()
-            panel.add(jfxPanel, BorderLayout.CENTER)
-
-            Platform.runLater {
+            SwingUtilities.invokeLater {
                 try {
-                    val media = Media(File(videoPath).toURI().toString())
-                    val player = MediaPlayer(media).apply {
-                        isAutoPlay = true
-                        cycleCount = MediaPlayer.INDEFINITE  // loop forever
-                        // Mute — Live Photos shouldn't have audio in preview
-                        isMute = true
-                        setOnEndOfMedia { seek(Duration.ZERO) }
+                    // Initialize JavaFX toolkit via JFXPanel
+                    val jfxPanel = javafx.embed.swing.JFXPanel()
+                    panel.add(jfxPanel, BorderLayout.CENTER)
+                    panel.revalidate()
+
+                    javafx.application.Platform.runLater {
+                        try {
+                            val file = File(videoPath)
+                            if (!file.exists()) {
+                                log.warn("LivePhotoPlayer: file not found: $videoPath")
+                                return@runLater
+                            }
+
+                            log.info("LivePhotoPlayer: loading ${file.name} (${file.length() / 1024}KB)")
+
+                            val media = javafx.scene.media.Media(file.toURI().toString())
+                            val player = javafx.scene.media.MediaPlayer(media)
+
+                            player.setOnError {
+                                log.warn("LivePhotoPlayer: MediaPlayer error: ${player.error?.message}")
+                            }
+                            player.setOnReady {
+                                log.info("LivePhotoPlayer: ready, playing")
+                                player.cycleCount = javafx.scene.media.MediaPlayer.INDEFINITE
+                                player.isMute = true
+                                player.play()
+                            }
+
+                            val mediaView = javafx.scene.media.MediaView(player).apply {
+                                isPreserveRatio = true
+                                fitWidth = 580.0
+                            }
+
+                            val root = javafx.scene.layout.StackPane(mediaView)
+                            root.style = "-fx-background-color: black;"
+
+                            jfxPanel.scene = javafx.scene.Scene(root)
+
+                        } catch (e: Exception) {
+                            log.warn("LivePhotoPlayer: JavaFX Platform.runLater failed: ${e.message}")
+                        }
                     }
-                    mediaPlayer = player
-
-                    val mediaView = MediaView(player).apply {
-                        isPreserveRatio = true
-                        fitWidth = 600.0  // reasonable default; panel resizes via Compose
-                    }
-
-                    val root = StackPane(mediaView)
-                    root.style = "-fx-background-color: black;"
-                    jfxPanel.scene = Scene(root)
-
-                    player.play()
                 } catch (e: Exception) {
-                    log.warn("LivePhotoPlayer: could not initialize JavaFX player for $videoPath: ${e.message}")
+                    log.warn("LivePhotoPlayer: SwingUtilities init failed: ${e.message}")
                 }
             }
 
             panel
         },
-        update = { /* no dynamic updates needed */ },
     )
 }
 
 /**
  * Check if JavaFX media is available on the classpath.
- * Returns true if LivePhotoPlayer can be used.
  */
 fun isJavaFxMediaAvailable(): Boolean {
     return try {