diff --git a/client/src/app/+videos/+video-watch/video-watch.component.html b/client/src/app/+videos/+video-watch/video-watch.component.html
index 669fede43..b17f898ce 100644
--- a/client/src/app/+videos/+video-watch/video-watch.component.html
+++ b/client/src/app/+videos/+video-watch/video-watch.component.html
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@
       Please try again later.
     </div>
 
-    <div id="videojs-wrapper"></div>
+    <div id="videojs-wrapper">
+      <img *ngIf="playerPlaceholderImgSrc" [src]="playerPlaceholderImgSrc" alt="Placeholder image" i18n-alt>
+    </div>
 
     <my-video-watch-playlist
       #videoWatchPlaylist
diff --git a/client/src/app/+videos/+video-watch/video-watch.component.ts b/client/src/app/+videos/+video-watch/video-watch.component.ts
index 11b63297e..7a98cab3b 100644
--- a/client/src/app/+videos/+video-watch/video-watch.component.ts
+++ b/client/src/app/+videos/+video-watch/video-watch.component.ts
@@ -60,9 +60,12 @@ export class VideoWatchComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
 
   player: any
   playerElement: HTMLVideoElement
+
   theaterEnabled = false
+
   userRating: UserVideoRateType = null
-  descriptionLoading = false
+
+  playerPlaceholderImgSrc: string
 
   video: VideoDetails = null
   videoCaptions: VideoCaption[] = []
@@ -70,13 +73,17 @@ export class VideoWatchComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
   playlistPosition: number
   playlist: VideoPlaylist = null
 
+  descriptionLoading = false
   completeDescriptionShown = false
   completeVideoDescription: string
   shortVideoDescription: string
   videoHTMLDescription = ''
+
   likesBarTooltipText = ''
+
   hasAlreadyAcceptedPrivacyConcern = false
   remoteServerDown = false
+
   hotkeys: Hotkey[] = []
 
   tooltipLike = ''
@@ -539,6 +546,7 @@ export class VideoWatchComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
     this.videoCaptions = videoCaptions
 
     // Re init attributes
+    this.playerPlaceholderImgSrc = undefined
     this.descriptionLoading = false
     this.completeDescriptionShown = false
     this.completeVideoDescription = undefined
@@ -566,12 +574,15 @@ export class VideoWatchComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
   }
 
   private async buildPlayer (urlOptions: URLOptions) {
-    const videoState = this.video.state.id
-    if (videoState === VideoState.LIVE_ENDED || videoState === VideoState.WAITING_FOR_LIVE) return
-
     // Flush old player if needed
     this.flushPlayer()
 
+    const videoState = this.video.state.id
+    if (videoState === VideoState.LIVE_ENDED || videoState === VideoState.WAITING_FOR_LIVE) {
+      this.playerPlaceholderImgSrc = this.video.previewPath
+      return
+    }
+
     // Build video element, because videojs removes it on dispose
     const playerElementWrapper = this.elementRef.nativeElement.querySelector('#videojs-wrapper')
     this.playerElement = document.createElement('video')