diff --git a/MastodonSDK/Sources/MastodonUI/View/Content/MediaView+Configuration.swift b/MastodonSDK/Sources/MastodonUI/View/Content/MediaView+Configuration.swift
index 0505b8077..a372ce558 100644
--- a/MastodonSDK/Sources/MastodonUI/View/Content/MediaView+Configuration.swift
+++ b/MastodonSDK/Sources/MastodonUI/View/Content/MediaView+Configuration.swift
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ extension MediaView.Configuration {
 }
 
 extension MediaView {
-    public static func configuration(status: MastodonStatus) -> [MediaView.Configuration] {
+    public static func configuration(status: MastodonStatus, contentDisplayMode: StatusView.ContentDisplayMode) -> [MediaView.Configuration] {
         func videoInfo(from attachment: MastodonAttachment) -> MediaView.Configuration.VideoInfo {
             MediaView.Configuration.VideoInfo(
                 aspectRadio: attachment.size,
@@ -234,6 +234,7 @@ extension MediaView {
                 }   // end switch
             }()
             
+            configuration.isReveal = !contentDisplayMode.shouldConcealMedia
             configuration.load()
             
             return configuration
@@ -244,7 +245,7 @@ extension MediaView {
 }
 
 extension MediaView {
-    public static func configuration(status: Mastodon.Entity.StatusEdit) -> [MediaView.Configuration] {
+    public static func configuration(status: Mastodon.Entity.StatusEdit, contentDisplayMode: StatusView.ContentDisplayMode) -> [MediaView.Configuration] {
         func aspectRatio(from attachment: Mastodon.Entity.Attachment) -> CGSize? {
             if let width = attachment.meta?.original?.width, let height = attachment.meta?.original?.height {
                 return CGSize(width: width, height: height)
@@ -317,7 +318,7 @@ extension MediaView {
             }()
             
             configuration?.load()
-            configuration?.isReveal = true
+            configuration?.isReveal = !contentDisplayMode.shouldConcealMedia
             
             return configuration
         }
diff --git a/MastodonSDK/Sources/MastodonUI/View/Content/MediaView.swift b/MastodonSDK/Sources/MastodonUI/View/Content/MediaView.swift
index a23fc4d55..6a0de9134 100644
--- a/MastodonSDK/Sources/MastodonUI/View/Content/MediaView.swift
+++ b/MastodonSDK/Sources/MastodonUI/View/Content/MediaView.swift
@@ -43,15 +43,17 @@ public final class MediaView: UIView {
         return imageView
     }()
     
-    private(set) lazy var playerViewController: AVPlayerViewController = {
+    private(set) var playerViewController: AVPlayerViewController?
+    private var playerLooper: AVPlayerLooper?
+    
+    private func createPlayerViewController() -> AVPlayerViewController {
         let playerViewController = AVPlayerViewController()
         playerViewController.view.layer.masksToBounds = true
         playerViewController.view.isUserInteractionEnabled = false
         playerViewController.videoGravity = .resizeAspectFill
         playerViewController.updatesNowPlayingInfoCenter = false
         return playerViewController
-    }()
-    private var playerLooper: AVPlayerLooper?
+    }
 
     let overlayViewController: UIHostingController<InlineMediaOverlayContainer> = {
         let vc = UIHostingController(rootView: InlineMediaOverlayContainer())
@@ -152,6 +154,10 @@ extension MediaView {
     
     private func layoutGIF() {
         // use view controller as View here
+        if playerViewController == nil {
+            playerViewController = createPlayerViewController()
+        }
+        guard let playerViewController else { return }
         playerViewController.view.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
         container.addSubview(playerViewController.view)
         playerViewController.view.pinToParent()
@@ -165,11 +171,21 @@ extension MediaView {
 
         guard let player = setupGIFPlayer(info: info) else { return }
         setupPlayerLooper(player: player)
+        
+        if playerViewController == nil {
+            playerViewController = createPlayerViewController()
+        }
+        guard let playerViewController else { return }
         playerViewController.player = player
         playerViewController.showsPlaybackControls = false
         
         // auto play for GIF
-        player.play()
+        if configuration.isReveal {
+            blurhashImageView.alpha = 0
+            player.play()
+        } else {
+            blurhashImageView.alpha = 1
+        }
 
         bindAlt(configuration: configuration, altDescription: info.altDescription)
     }
@@ -241,12 +257,12 @@ extension MediaView {
         imageView.image = nil
         
         // reset player
-        playerViewController.view.removeFromSuperview()
-        playerViewController.contentOverlayView.flatMap { view in
+        playerViewController?.view.removeFromSuperview()
+        playerViewController?.contentOverlayView.flatMap { view in
             view.removeConstraints(view.constraints)
         }
-        playerViewController.player?.pause()
-        playerViewController.player = nil
+        playerViewController?.player?.pause()
+        playerViewController?.player = nil
         playerLooper = nil
         
         // blurhash
diff --git a/MastodonSDK/Sources/MastodonUI/View/Content/StatusView+Configuration.swift b/MastodonSDK/Sources/MastodonUI/View/Content/StatusView+Configuration.swift
index fe5f6d5fe..5d69e757c 100644
--- a/MastodonSDK/Sources/MastodonUI/View/Content/StatusView+Configuration.swift
+++ b/MastodonSDK/Sources/MastodonUI/View/Content/StatusView+Configuration.swift
@@ -49,12 +49,12 @@ extension StatusView {
         configureAuthor(author: author)
         configureTimestamp(timestamp: (status.reblog ?? status).entity.createdAt)
         configureApplicationName(status.entity.application?.name)
-        configureMedia(status: status)
+        configureMedia(status: status, contentDisplayMode: contentDisplayMode)
         configurePollHistory(statusEdit: statusEdit)
         configureCard(status: status)
         configureToolbar(status: status)
         configureContent(statusEdit: statusEdit, status: status)
-        configureMedia(status: statusEdit)
+        configureMedia(status: statusEdit, contentDisplayMode: contentDisplayMode)
         actionToolbarAdaptiveMarginContainerView.isHidden = true
         authorView.menuButton.isHidden = true
         headerAdaptiveMarginContainerView.isHidden = true
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ extension StatusView {
         configureTimestamp(timestamp: timestamp)
         configureApplicationName(status.entity.application?.name)
         configureContent(status: status)
-        configureMedia(status: status)
+        configureMedia(status: status, contentDisplayMode: contentDisplayMode)
         configurePoll(status: status)
         configureCard(status: status)
         configureToolbar(status: status)
@@ -451,14 +451,14 @@ extension StatusView {
         viewModel.visibility = status.entity.mastodonVisibility
     }
     
-    private func configureMedia(status: MastodonStatus) {
+    private func configureMedia(status: MastodonStatus, contentDisplayMode: ContentDisplayMode) {
         let status = status.reblog ?? status
-        let configurations = MediaView.configuration(status: status)
+        let configurations = MediaView.configuration(status: status, contentDisplayMode: contentDisplayMode)
         viewModel.mediaViewConfigurations = configurations
     }
     
-    private func configureMedia(status: Mastodon.Entity.StatusEdit) {
-        let configurations = MediaView.configuration(status: status)
+    private func configureMedia(status: Mastodon.Entity.StatusEdit, contentDisplayMode: ContentDisplayMode) {
+        let configurations = MediaView.configuration(status: status, contentDisplayMode: contentDisplayMode)
         viewModel.mediaViewConfigurations = configurations
     }