diff --git a/lib/widgets/common/action_controls/togglers/mute.dart b/lib/widgets/common/action_controls/togglers/mute.dart
index fa9a2a693..caff7729e 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/common/action_controls/togglers/mute.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/common/action_controls/togglers/mute.dart
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import 'package:aves/theme/icons.dart';
 import 'package:aves/widgets/common/basic/popup/menu_row.dart';
 import 'package:aves/widgets/common/extensions/build_context.dart';
 import 'package:aves/widgets/common/identity/buttons/captioned_button.dart';
+import 'package:aves_utils/aves_utils.dart';
 import 'package:aves_video/aves_video.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 
@@ -25,9 +26,10 @@ class MuteToggler extends StatelessWidget {
 
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
-    return ValueListenableBuilder<bool>(
-      valueListenable: controller?.canMuteNotifier ?? ValueNotifier(false),
-      builder: (context, canDo, child) {
+    return NullableValueListenableBuilder<bool>(
+      valueListenable: controller?.canMuteNotifier,
+      builder: (context, value, child) {
+        final canDo = value ?? false;
         return StreamBuilder<double>(
           stream: controller?.volumeStream ?? Stream.value(1.0),
           builder: (context, snapshot) {
@@ -66,9 +68,10 @@ class MuteTogglerCaption extends StatelessWidget {
 
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
-    return ValueListenableBuilder<bool>(
-      valueListenable: controller?.canMuteNotifier ?? ValueNotifier(false),
-      builder: (context, canDo, child) {
+    return NullableValueListenableBuilder<bool>(
+      valueListenable: controller?.canMuteNotifier,
+      builder: (context, value, child) {
+        final canDo = value ?? false;
         return StreamBuilder<double>(
           stream: controller?.volumeStream ?? Stream.value(1.0),
           builder: (context, snapshot) {
diff --git a/lib/widgets/common/basic/insets.dart b/lib/widgets/common/basic/insets.dart
index 53f5e1870..1e083a3ce 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/common/basic/insets.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/common/basic/insets.dart
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import 'package:aves/widgets/common/extensions/build_context.dart';
 import 'package:aves/widgets/common/extensions/media_query.dart';
 import 'package:aves/widgets/common/providers/media_query_data_provider.dart';
 import 'package:aves/widgets/common/tile_extent_controller.dart';
+import 'package:aves_utils/aves_utils.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 import 'package:provider/provider.dart';
 
@@ -151,9 +152,10 @@ class SafeCutoutArea extends StatelessWidget {
     return ValueListenableBuilder<EdgeInsets>(
       valueListenable: AvesApp.cutoutInsetsNotifier,
       builder: (context, cutoutInsets, child) {
-        return ValueListenableBuilder<double>(
-          valueListenable: animation ?? ValueNotifier(1),
-          builder: (context, factor, child) {
+        return NullableValueListenableBuilder<double>(
+          valueListenable: animation,
+          builder: (context, value, child) {
+            final double factor = value ?? 1.0;
             final effectiveInsets = cutoutInsets * factor;
             return Padding(
               padding: effectiveInsets,
diff --git a/lib/widgets/common/map/leaflet/map.dart b/lib/widgets/common/map/leaflet/map.dart
index 439d67a7b..901ffe79e 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/common/map/leaflet/map.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/common/map/leaflet/map.dart
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import 'package:aves/widgets/common/map/leaflet/latlng_tween.dart' as llt;
 import 'package:aves/widgets/common/map/leaflet/scale_layer.dart';
 import 'package:aves/widgets/common/map/leaflet/tile_layers.dart';
 import 'package:aves_map/aves_map.dart';
+import 'package:aves_utils/aves_utils.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_map/flutter_map.dart';
 import 'package:latlong2/latlong.dart';
@@ -172,8 +173,8 @@ class _EntryLeafletMapState<T> extends State<EntryLeafletMap<T>> with TickerProv
           rotate: true,
           alignment: Alignment.bottomCenter,
         ),
-        ValueListenableBuilder<LatLng?>(
-          valueListenable: widget.dotLocationNotifier ?? ValueNotifier(null),
+        NullableValueListenableBuilder<LatLng?>(
+          valueListenable: widget.dotLocationNotifier,
           builder: (context, dotLocation, child) => MarkerLayer(
             markers: [
               if (dotLocation != null)
@@ -214,9 +215,10 @@ class _EntryLeafletMapState<T> extends State<EntryLeafletMap<T>> with TickerProv
     final corner2 = overlayEntry.bottomRight;
     if (corner1 == null || corner2 == null) return const SizedBox();
 
-    return ValueListenableBuilder<double>(
-      valueListenable: widget.overlayOpacityNotifier ?? ValueNotifier(1),
-      builder: (context, overlayOpacity, child) {
+    return NullableValueListenableBuilder<double>(
+      valueListenable: widget.overlayOpacityNotifier,
+      builder: (context, value, child) {
+        final double overlayOpacity = value ?? 1.0;
         return OverlayImageLayer(
           overlayImages: [
             OverlayImage(
diff --git a/lib/widgets/viewer/overlay/thumbnail_preview.dart b/lib/widgets/viewer/overlay/thumbnail_preview.dart
index f1d656a92..5a64c3db3 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/viewer/overlay/thumbnail_preview.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/viewer/overlay/thumbnail_preview.dart
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ class ViewerThumbnailPreview extends StatefulWidget {
 }
 
 class _ViewerThumbnailPreviewState extends State<ViewerThumbnailPreview> {
-  final ValueNotifier<int> _entryIndexNotifier = ValueNotifier(0);
+  late final ValueNotifier<int> _entryIndexNotifier;
   final Debouncer _debouncer = Debouncer(delay: ADurations.viewerThumbnailScrollDebounceDelay);
 
   List<AvesEntry> get entries => widget.entries;
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ class _ViewerThumbnailPreviewState extends State<ViewerThumbnailPreview> {
   @override
   void initState() {
     super.initState();
-    _entryIndexNotifier.value = widget.displayedIndex;
+    _entryIndexNotifier = ValueNotifier(widget.displayedIndex);
     _entryIndexNotifier.addListener(_onScrollerIndexChanged);
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/widgets/viewer/overlay/viewer_buttons.dart b/lib/widgets/viewer/overlay/viewer_buttons.dart
index 9c0f610ea..79cdd6595 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/viewer/overlay/viewer_buttons.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/viewer/overlay/viewer_buttons.dart
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import 'package:aves/widgets/viewer/action/entry_action_delegate.dart';
 import 'package:aves/widgets/viewer/controls/notifications.dart';
 import 'package:aves/widgets/viewer/video/conductor.dart';
 import 'package:aves_model/aves_model.dart';
+import 'package:aves_utils/aves_utils.dart';
 import 'package:aves_video/aves_video.dart';
 import 'package:collection/collection.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
@@ -438,15 +439,18 @@ class _ViewerButtonRowContentState extends State<ViewerButtonRowContent> {
     Widget? child;
     void onPressed() => actionDelegate.onActionSelected(context, action);
 
-    ValueListenableBuilder<bool> _buildFromListenable(ValueListenable<bool>? enabledNotifier) {
-      return ValueListenableBuilder<bool>(
-        valueListenable: enabledNotifier ?? ValueNotifier(false),
-        builder: (context, canDo, child) => IconButton(
-          icon: child!,
-          onPressed: canDo ? onPressed : null,
-          focusNode: focusNode,
-          tooltip: action.getText(context),
-        ),
+    Widget _buildFromListenable(ValueListenable<bool>? enabledNotifier) {
+      return NullableValueListenableBuilder<bool>(
+        valueListenable: enabledNotifier,
+        builder: (context, value, child) {
+          final canDo = value ?? false;
+          return IconButton(
+            icon: child!,
+            onPressed: canDo ? onPressed : null,
+            focusNode: focusNode,
+            tooltip: action.getText(context),
+          );
+        },
         child: action.getIcon(),
       );
     }
diff --git a/lib/widgets/viewer/page_entry_builder.dart b/lib/widgets/viewer/page_entry_builder.dart
index 97fcb5db0..b50c7fb3b 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/viewer/page_entry_builder.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/viewer/page_entry_builder.dart
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import 'package:aves/model/entry/entry.dart';
 import 'package:aves/model/multipage.dart';
 import 'package:aves/widgets/viewer/multipage/controller.dart';
+import 'package:aves_utils/aves_utils.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/widgets.dart';
 
 class PageEntryBuilder extends StatelessWidget {
@@ -20,8 +21,8 @@ class PageEntryBuilder extends StatelessWidget {
       stream: controller != null ? controller.infoStream : Stream.value(null),
       builder: (context, snapshot) {
         final multiPageInfo = controller?.info;
-        return ValueListenableBuilder<int?>(
-          valueListenable: controller?.pageNotifier ?? ValueNotifier(null),
+        return NullableValueListenableBuilder<int?>(
+          valueListenable: controller?.pageNotifier,
           builder: (context, page, child) {
             final pageEntry = multiPageInfo?.getPageEntryByIndex(page);
             return builder(pageEntry);
diff --git a/plugins/aves_services_google/lib/src/map.dart b/plugins/aves_services_google/lib/src/map.dart
index cd306c546..58d48a037 100644
--- a/plugins/aves_services_google/lib/src/map.dart
+++ b/plugins/aves_services_google/lib/src/map.dart
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import 'dart:async';
 import 'dart:typed_data';
 
 import 'package:aves_map/aves_map.dart';
+import 'package:aves_utils/aves_utils.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 import 'package:google_maps_flutter/google_maps_flutter.dart';
 import 'package:latlong2/latlong.dart' as ll;
@@ -172,12 +173,13 @@ class _EntryGoogleMapState<T> extends State<EntryGoogleMap<T>> with WidgetsBindi
 
         final interactive = context.select<MapThemeData, bool>((v) => v.interactive);
         final overlayEntry = widget.overlayEntry;
-        return ValueListenableBuilder<ll.LatLng?>(
-          valueListenable: widget.dotLocationNotifier ?? ValueNotifier(null),
+        return NullableValueListenableBuilder<ll.LatLng?>(
+          valueListenable: widget.dotLocationNotifier,
           builder: (context, dotLocation, child) {
-            return ValueListenableBuilder<double>(
-              valueListenable: widget.overlayOpacityNotifier ?? ValueNotifier(1),
-              builder: (context, overlayOpacity, child) {
+            return NullableValueListenableBuilder<double>(
+              valueListenable: widget.overlayOpacityNotifier,
+              builder: (context, value, child) {
+                final double overlayOpacity = value ?? 1.0;
                 return LayoutBuilder(
                   builder: (context, constraints) {
                     _sizeNotifier.value = constraints.biggest;
diff --git a/plugins/aves_services_google/pubspec.lock b/plugins/aves_services_google/pubspec.lock
index 004fffbf0..5f1359a21 100644
--- a/plugins/aves_services_google/pubspec.lock
+++ b/plugins/aves_services_google/pubspec.lock
@@ -30,6 +30,13 @@ packages:
       relative: true
     source: path
     version: "0.0.1"
+  aves_utils:
+    dependency: "direct main"
+    description:
+      path: "../aves_utils"
+      relative: true
+    source: path
+    version: "0.0.1"
   characters:
     dependency: transitive
     description:
diff --git a/plugins/aves_services_google/pubspec.yaml b/plugins/aves_services_google/pubspec.yaml
index c072898a4..f787173c4 100644
--- a/plugins/aves_services_google/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/plugins/aves_services_google/pubspec.yaml
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ dependencies:
     path: ../aves_map
   aves_services:
     path: ../aves_services
+  aves_utils:
+    path: ../aves_utils
   device_info_plus:
   google_api_availability:
   google_maps_flutter:
diff --git a/plugins/aves_services_huawei/lib/src/map.dart b/plugins/aves_services_huawei/lib/src/map.dart
index a51a0354f..b53555ac0 100644
--- a/plugins/aves_services_huawei/lib/src/map.dart
+++ b/plugins/aves_services_huawei/lib/src/map.dart
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import 'dart:async';
 import 'dart:typed_data';
 
 import 'package:aves_map/aves_map.dart';
+import 'package:aves_utils/aves_utils.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 import 'package:huawei_map/huawei_map.dart';
 import 'package:latlong2/latlong.dart' as ll;
@@ -146,12 +147,13 @@ class _EntryHmsMapState<T> extends State<EntryHmsMap<T>> {
 
         final interactive = context.select<MapThemeData, bool>((v) => v.interactive);
         // final overlayEntry = widget.overlayEntry;
-        return ValueListenableBuilder<ll.LatLng?>(
-          valueListenable: widget.dotLocationNotifier ?? ValueNotifier(null),
+        return NullableValueListenableBuilder<ll.LatLng?>(
+          valueListenable: widget.dotLocationNotifier,
           builder: (context, dotLocation, child) {
-            return ValueListenableBuilder<double>(
-              valueListenable: widget.overlayOpacityNotifier ?? ValueNotifier(1),
-              builder: (context, overlayOpacity, child) {
+            return NullableValueListenableBuilder<double>(
+              valueListenable: widget.overlayOpacityNotifier,
+              builder: (context, value, child) {
+                // final double overlayOpacity = value ?? 1.0;
                 return HuaweiMap(
                   initialCameraPosition: CameraPosition(
                     bearing: bounds.rotation,
diff --git a/plugins/aves_services_huawei/pubspec.lock b/plugins/aves_services_huawei/pubspec.lock
index dddfff5fa..efcf6e786 100644
--- a/plugins/aves_services_huawei/pubspec.lock
+++ b/plugins/aves_services_huawei/pubspec.lock
@@ -37,6 +37,13 @@ packages:
       relative: true
     source: path
     version: "0.0.1"
+  aves_utils:
+    dependency: "direct main"
+    description:
+      path: "../aves_utils"
+      relative: true
+    source: path
+    version: "0.0.1"
   characters:
     dependency: transitive
     description:
diff --git a/plugins/aves_services_huawei/pubspec.yaml b/plugins/aves_services_huawei/pubspec.yaml
index 1016be8e0..794aff2b1 100644
--- a/plugins/aves_services_huawei/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/plugins/aves_services_huawei/pubspec.yaml
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ dependencies:
     path: ../aves_platform_meta
   aves_services:
     path: ../aves_services
+  aves_utils:
+    path: ../aves_utils
   # cf https://github.com/HMS-Core/hms-flutter-plugin/pull/296
   huawei_hmsavailability:
     git:
diff --git a/plugins/aves_utils/lib/aves_utils.dart b/plugins/aves_utils/lib/aves_utils.dart
index c2f027c4e..153778df2 100644
--- a/plugins/aves_utils/lib/aves_utils.dart
+++ b/plugins/aves_utils/lib/aves_utils.dart
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 library aves_utils;
 
-export 'src/change_notifier.dart';
 export 'src/colors.dart';
+export 'src/listenable.dart';
 export 'src/optional_event_channel.dart';
 export 'src/vector_utils.dart';
diff --git a/plugins/aves_utils/lib/src/change_notifier.dart b/plugins/aves_utils/lib/src/change_notifier.dart
deleted file mode 100644
index 1e0b0b9f5..000000000
--- a/plugins/aves_utils/lib/src/change_notifier.dart
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
-
-// `ChangeNotifier` wrapper to call `notify` without constraint
-class AChangeNotifier extends ChangeNotifier {
-  void notify() {
-    // why is this protected?
-    super.notifyListeners();
-  }
-}
diff --git a/plugins/aves_utils/lib/src/listenable.dart b/plugins/aves_utils/lib/src/listenable.dart
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..75701cd6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/aves_utils/lib/src/listenable.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
+import 'package:flutter/widgets.dart';
+
+// `ChangeNotifier` wrapper to call `notify` without constraint
+class AChangeNotifier extends ChangeNotifier {
+  void notify() {
+    // why is this protected?
+    super.notifyListeners();
+  }
+}
+
+// contrary to standard `ValueListenableBuilder`, this widget allows providing a null listenable
+class NullableValueListenableBuilder<T> extends StatefulWidget {
+  final ValueListenable<T?>? valueListenable;
+  final ValueWidgetBuilder<T?> builder;
+  final Widget? child;
+
+  const NullableValueListenableBuilder({
+    super.key,
+    required this.valueListenable,
+    required this.builder,
+    this.child,
+  });
+
+  @override
+  State<NullableValueListenableBuilder> createState() => _NullableValueListenableBuilderState<T>();
+}
+
+class _NullableValueListenableBuilderState<T> extends State<NullableValueListenableBuilder<T>> {
+  ValueNotifier<T?>? _internalValueListenable;
+
+  ValueListenable<T?> get _valueListenable {
+    var listenable = widget.valueListenable;
+    if (listenable == null) {
+      _internalValueListenable ??= ValueNotifier(null);
+      listenable = _internalValueListenable;
+    }
+    return listenable!;
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void dispose() {
+    _internalValueListenable?.dispose();
+    super.dispose();
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    return ValueListenableBuilder<T?>(
+      valueListenable: _valueListenable,
+      builder: widget.builder,
+      child: widget.child,
+    );
+  }
+}