diff --git a/packages/react-native-video/src/core/VideoPlayer.web.ts b/packages/react-native-video/src/core/VideoPlayer.web.ts
index 15c07ddb..63f3a946 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-video/src/core/VideoPlayer.web.ts
+++ b/packages/react-native-video/src/core/VideoPlayer.web.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ import type { VideoPlayerSourceBase } from "./types/VideoPlayerSourceBase";
 import type { VideoPlayerStatus } from "./types/VideoPlayerStatus";
 import { VideoPlayerEvents } from "./events/VideoPlayerEvents";
 import { MediaSessionHandler } from "./web/MediaSession";
-import { WebEventEmitter, type VideoStore } from "./web/WebEventEmitter";
+import { WebEventEmitter } from "./web/WebEventEmitter";
+import type { VideoStore } from "./web/VideoStore";
 
 class VideoPlayer extends VideoPlayerEvents implements VideoPlayerBase {
   private video: HTMLVideoElement;
@@ -90,40 +91,34 @@ class VideoPlayer extends VideoPlayerEvents implements VideoPlayerBase {
     };
   }
 
-  // Store when available, video element fallback.
-  // Store may provide more accurate values for HLS/DASH/DRM content.
+  /** Store when available, video element fallback. */
+  private get media(): VideoStore | HTMLVideoElement {
+    return this._store ?? this.video;
+  }
 
   get status(): VideoPlayerStatus {
-    const s = this._store;
-    if (s) {
-      if (s.error) return "error";
-      if (s.canPlay) return "readyToPlay";
-      if (s.waiting) return "loading";
-      if (s.source) return "loading";
-      return "idle";
-    }
-    if (this.video.error) return "error";
+    if (this.media.error) return "error";
     if (this.video.readyState >= HTMLMediaElement.HAVE_FUTURE_DATA) return "readyToPlay";
     if (this.video.readyState > HTMLMediaElement.HAVE_NOTHING) return "loading";
     if (this.video.src) return "loading";
     return "idle";
   }
 
-  get duration(): number { return this._store?.duration || this.video.duration || NaN; }
-  get volume(): number { return this._store?.volume ?? this.video.volume; }
+  get duration(): number { return this.media.duration || NaN; }
+  get volume(): number { return this.media.volume; }
   set volume(v: number) {
     const clamped = Math.max(0, Math.min(1, v));
     if (this._store) { this._store.setVolume(clamped); } else { this.video.volume = clamped; }
   }
-  get currentTime(): number { return this._store?.currentTime ?? this.video.currentTime; }
+  get currentTime(): number { return this.media.currentTime; }
   set currentTime(v: number) {
     if (this._store) { this._store.seek(v); } else { this.video.currentTime = v; }
   }
-  get muted(): boolean { return this._store?.muted ?? this.video.muted; }
+  get muted(): boolean { return this.media.muted; }
   set muted(v: boolean) { this.video.muted = v; }
   get loop(): boolean { return this.video.loop; }
   set loop(v: boolean) { this.video.loop = v; }
-  get rate(): number { return this._store?.playbackRate ?? this.video.playbackRate; }
+  get rate(): number { return this.media.playbackRate; }
   set rate(v: number) {
     if (this._store) { this._store.setPlaybackRate(v); } else { this.video.playbackRate = v; }
   }
@@ -137,9 +132,7 @@ class VideoPlayer extends VideoPlayerEvents implements VideoPlayerBase {
   get playWhenInactive(): boolean { return true; }
   set playWhenInactive(_: boolean) {}
 
-  get isPlaying(): boolean {
-    return this._store ? !this._store.paused : !this.video.paused && !this.video.ended;
-  }
+  get isPlaying(): boolean { return !this.media.paused; }
 
   get showNotificationControls(): boolean {
     return this.mediaSession?.enabled ?? false;
@@ -159,16 +152,11 @@ class VideoPlayer extends VideoPlayerEvents implements VideoPlayerBase {
   }
   release(): void { this.__destroy(); }
 
-  play(): void {
-    if (this._store) { this._store.play()?.catch(() => {}); } else { this.video.play()?.catch(() => {}); }
-  }
-
-  pause(): void {
-    if (this._store) { this._store.pause(); } else { this.video.pause(); }
-  }
+  play(): void { this.media.play()?.catch(() => {}); }
+  pause(): void { this.media.pause(); }
 
   seekBy(time: number): void {
-    const now = this._store?.currentTime ?? this.video.currentTime;
+    const now = this.media.currentTime;
     if (this._store) { this._store.seek(now + time); } else { this.video.currentTime = now + time; }
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/react-native-video/src/core/video-view/VideoView.web.tsx b/packages/react-native-video/src/core/video-view/VideoView.web.tsx
index dab645b2..b0762a08 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-video/src/core/video-view/VideoView.web.tsx
+++ b/packages/react-native-video/src/core/video-view/VideoView.web.tsx
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import type { VideoViewProps, VideoViewRef } from "./VideoViewProps";
 import { createPlayer, videoFeatures, usePlayerContext, useMediaAttach } from "@videojs/react";
 import { VideoSkin } from "@videojs/react/video";
 import "@videojs/react/video/skin.css";
-import type { VideoStore } from "../web/WebEventEmitter";
+import type { VideoStore } from "../web/VideoStore";
 
 const Player = createPlayer({ features: videoFeatures });
 
diff --git a/packages/react-native-video/src/core/web/MediaSession.ts b/packages/react-native-video/src/core/web/MediaSession.ts
index d77c9074..7786e2bc 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-video/src/core/web/MediaSession.ts
+++ b/packages/react-native-video/src/core/web/MediaSession.ts
@@ -1,24 +1,11 @@
 import type { CustomVideoMetadata } from "../types/VideoConfig";
+import type { MediaSessionStore } from "./VideoStore";
 
 function getMediaSession(): MediaSession | undefined {
   if (typeof window === "undefined") return undefined;
   return window.navigator?.mediaSession;
 }
 
-/**
- * video.js store interface — the subset MediaSession needs.
- */
-interface MediaSessionStore {
-  readonly paused: boolean;
-  readonly currentTime: number;
-  readonly duration: number;
-  readonly playbackRate: number;
-  play(): Promise<void>;
-  pause(): void;
-  seek(time: number): Promise<number>;
-  subscribe(callback: () => void): () => void;
-}
-
 export class MediaSessionHandler {
   enabled: boolean = false;
 
diff --git a/packages/react-native-video/src/core/web/VideoStore.ts b/packages/react-native-video/src/core/web/VideoStore.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d8716ec9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/react-native-video/src/core/web/VideoStore.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+/**
+ * video.js store interface.
+ * Represents the reactive store created by @videojs/react's createPlayer.
+ * Used as the primary data source when VideoView is mounted;
+ * HTMLVideoElement is the fallback when store is not available.
+ */
+export interface VideoStore {
+  // State
+  readonly paused: boolean;
+  readonly ended: boolean;
+  readonly waiting: boolean;
+  readonly seeking: boolean;
+  readonly canPlay: boolean;
+  readonly currentTime: number;
+  readonly duration: number;
+  readonly volume: number;
+  readonly muted: boolean;
+  readonly playbackRate: number;
+  readonly source: string | null;
+  readonly buffered: [number, number][];
+  readonly error: { code: number; message: string } | null;
+  readonly textTrackList: Array<{ kind: string; label: string; language: string; mode: string }>;
+  readonly destroyed: boolean;
+  readonly target: unknown;
+  readonly pipAvailability: string;
+
+  // Actions
+  play(): Promise<void>;
+  pause(): void;
+  seek(time: number): Promise<number>;
+  setVolume(volume: number): number;
+  setPlaybackRate(rate: number): void;
+  loadSource(src: string): string;
+  requestFullscreen(): Promise<void>;
+  exitFullscreen(): Promise<void>;
+  requestPictureInPicture(): Promise<void>;
+  exitPictureInPicture(): Promise<void>;
+
+  // Lifecycle
+  subscribe(callback: () => void): () => void;
+  attach(target: { media: HTMLVideoElement; container: HTMLElement | null }): () => void;
+  destroy(): void;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Subset of VideoStore used by MediaSessionHandler.
+ */
+export type MediaSessionStore = Pick<
+  VideoStore,
+  "paused" | "currentTime" | "duration" | "playbackRate" | "play" | "pause" | "seek" | "subscribe"
+>;
diff --git a/packages/react-native-video/src/core/web/WebEventEmitter.ts b/packages/react-native-video/src/core/web/WebEventEmitter.ts
index d7fed337..758d98e8 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-video/src/core/web/WebEventEmitter.ts
+++ b/packages/react-native-video/src/core/web/WebEventEmitter.ts
@@ -22,41 +22,7 @@ import type {
   VideoPlayerEventEmitterBase,
 } from "../types/EventEmitter";
 
-/**
- * video.js store interface — optional, used for enhanced buffering info when available.
- */
-export interface VideoStore {
-  readonly paused: boolean;
-  readonly ended: boolean;
-  readonly waiting: boolean;
-  readonly seeking: boolean;
-  readonly canPlay: boolean;
-  readonly currentTime: number;
-  readonly duration: number;
-  readonly volume: number;
-  readonly muted: boolean;
-  readonly playbackRate: number;
-  readonly source: string | null;
-  readonly buffered: [number, number][];
-  readonly error: { code: number; message: string } | null;
-  readonly textTrackList: Array<{ kind: string; label: string; language: string; mode: string }>;
-  readonly destroyed: boolean;
-  readonly target: unknown;
-  subscribe(callback: () => void): () => void;
-  attach(target: { media: HTMLVideoElement; container: HTMLElement | null }): () => void;
-  destroy(): void;
-  loadSource(src: string): string;
-  play(): Promise<void>;
-  pause(): void;
-  seek(time: number): Promise<number>;
-  setVolume(volume: number): number;
-  setPlaybackRate(rate: number): void;
-  requestFullscreen(): Promise<void>;
-  exitFullscreen(): Promise<void>;
-  requestPictureInPicture(): Promise<void>;
-  exitPictureInPicture(): Promise<void>;
-  readonly pipAvailability: string;
-}
+import type { VideoStore } from "./VideoStore";
 
 /**
  * WebEventEmitter bridges HTML5 media events to our event system.