diff --git a/src/components/MobileFeed.tsx b/src/components/MobileFeed.tsx
index 0e9661c..344f88d 100644
--- a/src/components/MobileFeed.tsx
+++ b/src/components/MobileFeed.tsx
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ function SlideMedia({ media, author }: { media: CardMedia; author: string }) {
     return (
       <div className="slide-media slide-video" ref={box}>
         <div className="slide-art">
-          <VideoPlayer mp4Url={media.mp4Url} hlsUrl={media.hlsUrl} poster={media.src} label={`Video from ${author}`} />
+          <VideoPlayer mp4Url={media.mp4Url} hlsUrl={media.hlsUrl} poster={media.src} label={`Video from ${author}`} controls={started} />
         </div>
         {started ? null : (
           <>
@@ -85,9 +85,19 @@ function SlideMedia({ media, author }: { media: CardMedia; author: string }) {
 function PostSlide({ post, index, current, p }: { post: CardPost; index: number; current: boolean; p: FeedViewProps }) {
   const media = post.media.find((m) => m.kind === "video" || m.src) ?? null;
   const own = canDelete(post, p.feedUserId) && !!p.onDelete;
-  const cls = `slide ${media ? "slide-on-media" : "slide-on-text"}${current ? " is-cur" : ""}`;
+  // While a video plays, the author and text step aside so the native controls stay clear.
+  const [playing, setPlaying] = useState(false);
+  const cls = `slide ${media ? "slide-on-media" : "slide-on-text"}${current ? " is-cur" : ""}${playing ? " slide-playing" : ""}`;
   return (
-    <section className={cls} data-index={index} data-testid="feed-slide" aria-label={`Post by ${post.authorName}`}>
+    <section
+      className={cls}
+      data-index={index}
+      data-testid="feed-slide"
+      aria-label={`Post by ${post.authorName}`}
+      onPlayCapture={() => setPlaying(true)}
+      onPauseCapture={() => setPlaying(false)}
+      onEndedCapture={() => setPlaying(false)}
+    >
       {media ? (
         <>
           <SlideMedia media={media} author={post.authorName} />
diff --git a/src/components/VideoPlayer.tsx b/src/components/VideoPlayer.tsx
index 8c2c73e..ff2220a 100644
--- a/src/components/VideoPlayer.tsx
+++ b/src/components/VideoPlayer.tsx
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ export interface VideoPlayerProps {
   hlsUrl?: string | null;
   poster: string | null;
   label: string;
+  /** Native controls; off until the caller's own play button starts the video. Default on. */
+  controls?: boolean;
 }
 
 const UNPLAYABLE = "Video can't be played here.";
@@ -18,7 +20,7 @@ const UNPLAYABLE = "Video can't be played here.";
  * unsupported), else thumbnail only. Never
  * autoplays. Any failure falls back to the thumbnail with a short note.
  */
-export function VideoPlayer({ mp4Url, hlsUrl, poster, label }: VideoPlayerProps) {
+export function VideoPlayer({ mp4Url, hlsUrl, poster, label, controls = true }: VideoPlayerProps) {
   const ref = useRef<HTMLVideoElement>(null);
   const [failed, setFailed] = useState(false);
 
@@ -77,7 +79,7 @@ export function VideoPlayer({ mp4Url, hlsUrl, poster, label }: VideoPlayerProps)
     <video
       ref={ref}
       src={mp4Url ?? undefined}
-      controls
+      controls={controls}
       playsInline
       preload="none"
       poster={poster ?? undefined}
diff --git a/src/styles/mobile.css b/src/styles/mobile.css
index 60ea95f..a83da9b 100644
--- a/src/styles/mobile.css
+++ b/src/styles/mobile.css
@@ -61,6 +61,15 @@
 .slide-scrim { bottom: 0; height: 58%; background: linear-gradient(180deg, var(--media-fade-0), var(--media-fade)); }
 .slide-scrim-top { top: 0; height: 150px; background: linear-gradient(180deg, var(--media-fade-top), var(--media-fade-0)); }
 
+/* A playing video: the author, text and fades step aside so the native controls are clear. */
+.slide-meta,
+.slide-scrim,
+.slide-scrim-top { transition: opacity .3s var(--ease); }
+.slide-playing .slide-meta,
+.slide-playing .slide-scrim,
+.slide-playing .slide-scrim-top { opacity: 0; pointer-events: none; }
+.slide-playing .slide-meta > * { pointer-events: none; }
+
 /* Author and text over the bottom fade. */
 .slide-meta {
   position: absolute;
@@ -127,6 +136,8 @@
 /* The slide on screen: its content rises in when it snaps into place. */
 .is-cur .slide-meta,
 .is-cur .slide-quote-w { animation: slide-rise .7s var(--ease) both; }
+/* The rise animation's fill would keep the meta visible; a playing video takes it off. */
+.is-cur.slide-playing .slide-meta { animation: none; }
 
 /* Own-post menu: frosted "..." at the top right, the card's delete confirm under it. */
 .slide-menu { position: absolute; top: 70px; right: 12px; z-index: 6; }
diff --git a/tests/mobile-feed.test.ts b/tests/mobile-feed.test.ts
index 8dc34ce..e0f5179 100644
--- a/tests/mobile-feed.test.ts
+++ b/tests/mobile-feed.test.ts
@@ -119,3 +119,13 @@ describe("one step per gesture", () => {
     expect(stepTarget(2, 0, 5)).toBe(2);
   });
 });
+
+describe("video slide before play", () => {
+  it("shows only the frosted play button, no native controls", () => {
+    const html = render({});
+    const video = /<video[^>]*>/.exec(html)?.[0] ?? "";
+    expect(video).not.toBe("");
+    expect(video).not.toContain("controls");
+    expect(html).toContain('class="post-play slide-play"');
+  });
+});