diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/nuvio/tv/core/player/StreamAutoPlaySelector.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/nuvio/tv/core/player/StreamAutoPlaySelector.kt
index 52f5a4c1..7692c6ce 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/nuvio/tv/core/player/StreamAutoPlaySelector.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/nuvio/tv/core/player/StreamAutoPlaySelector.kt
@@ -106,11 +106,6 @@ object StreamAutoPlaySelector {
             StreamAutoPlayMode.FIRST_STREAM -> candidateStreams.firstOrNull { it.getStreamUrl() != null }
             StreamAutoPlayMode.REGEX_MATCH -> {
                 val pattern = regexPattern.trim()
-
-                // Skip regex entirely if pattern is blank
-                if (pattern.isBlank()) {
-                    return null
-                }
  
                 // Try to compile the user regex
                 val userRegex = runCatching { Regex(pattern, RegexOption.IGNORE_CASE) }.getOrNull() ?: return null
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/nuvio/tv/ui/screens/stream/StreamScreenViewModel.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/nuvio/tv/ui/screens/stream/StreamScreenViewModel.kt
index aeed50c6..5a738b43 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/nuvio/tv/ui/screens/stream/StreamScreenViewModel.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/nuvio/tv/ui/screens/stream/StreamScreenViewModel.kt
@@ -180,6 +180,14 @@ class StreamScreenViewModel @Inject constructor(
                 directAutoPlayModeInitializedForSession = true
             }
 
+            val rawRegex = playerSettings.streamAutoPlayRegex.orEmpty().trim()
+            val isEffectivelyEmptyRegex = rawRegex.isEmpty() || !rawRegex.any { it.isLetterOrDigit() }
+
+            if (playerSettings.streamAutoPlayMode == StreamAutoPlayMode.REGEX_MATCH && isEffectivelyEmptyRegex) {
+                directAutoPlayFlowEnabledForSession = false
+                autoPlayHandledForSession = true
+            }
+
             val directFlowActive = directAutoPlayFlowEnabledForSession
             var resolvedAutoPlayTarget = false