diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 706a7352f..1f47c44c1 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 
 ## <a id="unreleased"></a>[Unreleased]
 
+### Fixed
+
+- Viewer: playing video from app content provider
+
 ## <a id="v1.8.3"></a>[v1.8.3] - 2023-03-13
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/lib/widgets/home_page.dart b/lib/widgets/home_page.dart
index feb55bf88..52ba45a4e 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/home_page.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/home_page.dart
@@ -228,11 +228,12 @@ class _HomePageState extends State<HomePage> {
               canAnalyze: false,
             );
           }
+        } else {
+          await _initViewerEssentials();
         }
         break;
       case AppMode.setWallpaper:
-        // for video playback storage
-        await metadataDb.init();
+        await _initViewerEssentials();
         break;
       case AppMode.pickMediaInternal:
       case AppMode.pickFilterInternal:
@@ -248,6 +249,11 @@ class _HomePageState extends State<HomePage> {
     ));
   }
 
+  Future<void> _initViewerEssentials() async {
+    // for video playback storage
+    await metadataDb.init();
+  }
+
   bool _isViewerSourceable(AvesEntry? viewerEntry) {
     return viewerEntry != null && viewerEntry.directory != null && !settings.hiddenFilters.any((filter) => filter.test(viewerEntry));
   }