diff --git a/player/configfiles.c b/player/configfiles.c
index f98495d1ac..d3df836eea 100644
--- a/player/configfiles.c
+++ b/player/configfiles.c
@@ -396,17 +396,18 @@ void mp_delete_watch_later_conf(struct MPContext *mpctx, const char *file)
     talloc_free(fname);
 }
 
-void mp_load_playback_resume(struct MPContext *mpctx, const char *file)
+bool mp_load_playback_resume(struct MPContext *mpctx, const char *file)
 {
+    bool resume = false;
     if (!mpctx->opts->position_resume)
-        return;
+        return resume;
     char *fname = mp_get_playback_resume_config_filename(mpctx, file);
     if (fname && mp_path_exists(fname)) {
         if (mpctx->opts->position_check_mtime &&
             !mp_is_url(bstr0(file)) && !check_mtime(file, fname))
         {
             talloc_free(fname);
-            return;
+            return resume;
         }
 
         // Never apply the saved start position to following files
@@ -414,9 +415,10 @@ void mp_load_playback_resume(struct MPContext *mpctx, const char *file)
         MP_INFO(mpctx, "Resuming playback. This behavior can "
                "be disabled with --no-resume-playback.\n");
         try_load_config(mpctx, fname, M_SETOPT_PRESERVE_CMDLINE, MSGL_V);
-        unlink(fname);
+        resume = true;
     }
     talloc_free(fname);
+    return resume;
 }
 
 // Returns the first file that has a resume config.
diff --git a/player/core.h b/player/core.h
index 59cd0568c8..5ea7bd844c 100644
--- a/player/core.h
+++ b/player/core.h
@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ void audio_start_ao(struct MPContext *mpctx);
 // configfiles.c
 void mp_parse_cfgfiles(struct MPContext *mpctx);
 void mp_load_auto_profiles(struct MPContext *mpctx);
-void mp_load_playback_resume(struct MPContext *mpctx, const char *file);
+bool mp_load_playback_resume(struct MPContext *mpctx, const char *file);
 void mp_write_watch_later_conf(struct MPContext *mpctx);
 void mp_delete_watch_later_conf(struct MPContext *mpctx, const char *file);
 struct playlist_entry *mp_check_playlist_resume(struct MPContext *mpctx,
diff --git a/player/loadfile.c b/player/loadfile.c
index f11bb5bad1..2fadbb4fc1 100644
--- a/player/loadfile.c
+++ b/player/loadfile.c
@@ -1590,7 +1590,7 @@ static void play_current_file(struct MPContext *mpctx)
 
     mp_load_auto_profiles(mpctx);
 
-    mp_load_playback_resume(mpctx, mpctx->filename);
+    bool watch_later = mp_load_playback_resume(mpctx, mpctx->filename);
 
     load_per_file_options(mpctx->mconfig, mpctx->playing->params,
                           mpctx->playing->num_params);
@@ -1737,6 +1737,9 @@ static void play_current_file(struct MPContext *mpctx)
     mp_notify(mpctx, MPV_EVENT_FILE_LOADED, NULL);
     update_screensaver_state(mpctx);
 
+    if (watch_later)
+        mp_delete_watch_later_conf(mpctx, mpctx->filename);
+
     if (mpctx->max_frames == 0) {
         if (!mpctx->stop_play)
             mpctx->stop_play = PT_NEXT_ENTRY;