diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/fragments/detail/VideoDetailFragment.java b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/fragments/detail/VideoDetailFragment.java
index 950430463..759ec3546 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/fragments/detail/VideoDetailFragment.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/fragments/detail/VideoDetailFragment.java
@@ -1109,7 +1109,7 @@ public final class VideoDetailFragment
                 && PlayerHelper.isStartMainPlayerFullscreenEnabled(requireContext())
                 && !DeviceUtils.isLandscape(requireContext())
                 && PlayerHelper.globalScreenOrientationLocked(requireContext())) {
-            // open directly in fullscreen TODO does it work for large-land layouts?
+            // toggle landscape in order to open directly in fullscreen
             onScreenRotationButtonClicked();
         }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/player/Player.java b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/player/Player.java
index 10532c5eb..832c40cd3 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/player/Player.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/player/Player.java
@@ -621,6 +621,9 @@ public final class Player implements
             return;
         }
 
+        // needed for tablets, check the function for a better explanation
+        directlyOpenFullscreenIfNeeded();
+
         final PlaybackParameters savedParameters = retrievePlaybackParametersFromPrefs(this);
         final float playbackSpeed = savedParameters.speed;
         final float playbackPitch = savedParameters.pitch;
@@ -743,6 +746,20 @@ public final class Player implements
         NavigationHelper.sendPlayerStartedEvent(context);
     }
 
+    private void directlyOpenFullscreenIfNeeded() {
+        if (fragmentListener != null
+                && PlayerHelper.isStartMainPlayerFullscreenEnabled(service)
+                && DeviceUtils.isTablet(service)
+                && videoPlayerSelected()
+                && PlayerHelper.globalScreenOrientationLocked(service)) {
+            // Open fullscreen on tablets where the option to have the main player start
+            // automatically in fullscreen mode is on. Rotating the device to landscape is already
+            // done in VideoDetailFragment when the thumbnail is clicked, and that's enough for
+            // phones, but not for tablets since the mini player can be also shown in landscape.
+            fragmentListener.onScreenRotationButtonClicked();
+        }
+    }
+
     private void initPlayback(@NonNull final PlayQueue queue,
                               @RepeatMode final int repeatMode,
                               final float playbackSpeed,
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/util/NavigationHelper.java b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/util/NavigationHelper.java
index 563a67af4..67043d808 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/util/NavigationHelper.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/util/NavigationHelper.java
@@ -366,15 +366,7 @@ public final class NavigationHelper {
             if (switchingPlayers) {
                 // Situation when user switches from players to main player. All needed data is
                 // here, we can start watching (assuming newQueue equals playQueue).
-
-                // Starting directly in fullscreen if the previous player type was popup.
-                if (playerType == MainPlayer.PlayerType.POPUP
-                        && !DeviceUtils.isLandscape(context)
-                        && PlayerHelper.globalScreenOrientationLocked(context)) {
-                    detailFragment.onScreenRotationButtonClicked();
-                }
-                // pass false to directlyFullscreenIfApplicable since that's handled just above here
-                detailFragment.openVideoPlayer(false);
+                detailFragment.openVideoPlayer(true);
             } else {
                 detailFragment.selectAndLoadVideo(serviceId, url, title, playQueue);
             }