diff --git a/renderer/controllers/playback-controller.js b/renderer/controllers/playback-controller.js
index 126fb5df..b3cbda5f 100644
--- a/renderer/controllers/playback-controller.js
+++ b/renderer/controllers/playback-controller.js
@@ -197,6 +197,10 @@ function openPlayer (state, infoHash, index, cb) {
   }
 }
 
+function getOpenInVlc () {
+  return state.saved.prefs.playInVlc
+}
+
 function openPlayerFromActiveTorrent (state, torrentSummary, index, timeout, cb) {
   var fileSummary = torrentSummary.files[index]
 
@@ -241,6 +245,14 @@ function openPlayerFromActiveTorrent (state, torrentSummary, index, timeout, cb)
       return this.update()
     }
 
+    // play in VLC if set as default player (Preferences / Playback / Play in VLC)
+    if (getOpenInVlc()) {
+      dispatch('vlcPlay')
+      this.update()
+      cb()
+      return
+    }
+
     // otherwise, play the video
     state.window.title = torrentSummary.files[state.playing.fileIndex].name
     this.update()
diff --git a/renderer/main.js b/renderer/main.js
index d94ea4b8..c5a60f0e 100644
--- a/renderer/main.js
+++ b/renderer/main.js
@@ -166,10 +166,6 @@ function updateElectron () {
   }
 }
 
-function getOpenInVlc () {
-  return state.saved.prefs.playInVlc
-}
-
 const dispatchHandlers = {
   // Torrent list: creating, deleting, selecting torrents
   'openTorrentFile': () => ipcRenderer.send('openTorrentFile'),
@@ -320,8 +316,8 @@ function escapeBack () {
     dispatch('toggleFullScreen')
   } else {
     dispatch('back')
-}
   }
+}
 
 // Starts all torrents that aren't paused on program startup
 function resumeTorrents () {