diff --git a/core/mplayer.c b/core/mplayer.c
index fa12403a82..97ab1e8ab4 100644
--- a/core/mplayer.c
+++ b/core/mplayer.c
@@ -2970,18 +2970,28 @@ double get_current_time(struct MPContext *mpctx)
     return 0;
 }
 
+static double get_start_time(struct MPContext *mpctx)
+{
+    struct demuxer *demuxer = mpctx->demuxer;
+    if (!demuxer)
+        return 0;
+    double time = 0;
+    demux_control(demuxer, DEMUXER_CTRL_GET_START_TIME, &time);
+    return time;
+}
+
 int get_percent_pos(struct MPContext *mpctx)
 {
     struct demuxer *demuxer = mpctx->demuxer;
     if (!demuxer)
         return 0;
     int ans = 0;
-    if (mpctx->timeline)
-        ans = get_current_time(mpctx) * 100 /
-              mpctx->timeline[mpctx->num_timeline_parts].start;
-    else if (demux_control(demuxer, DEMUXER_CTRL_GET_PERCENT_POS, &ans) > 0)
-        ;
-    else {
+    double start = get_start_time(mpctx);
+    double len = get_time_length(mpctx);
+    double pos = get_current_time(mpctx);
+    if (len > 0) {
+        ans = (pos - start) / len * 100;
+    } else {
         int len = (demuxer->movi_end - demuxer->movi_start) / 100;
         int64_t pos = demuxer->filepos > 0 ?
                       demuxer->filepos : stream_tell(demuxer->stream);
diff --git a/demux/demux.h b/demux/demux.h
index 3af759316d..554730d59f 100644
--- a/demux/demux.h
+++ b/demux/demux.h
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ enum timestamp_type {
 #define DEMUXER_CTRL_OK 1
 #define DEMUXER_CTRL_GUESS 2
 #define DEMUXER_CTRL_GET_TIME_LENGTH 10
-#define DEMUXER_CTRL_GET_PERCENT_POS 11
+#define DEMUXER_CTRL_GET_START_TIME 11
 #define DEMUXER_CTRL_SWITCH_AUDIO 12
 #define DEMUXER_CTRL_RESYNC 13
 #define DEMUXER_CTRL_SWITCH_VIDEO 14
diff --git a/demux/demux_asf.c b/demux/demux_asf.c
index ff44954964..1d181eac67 100644
--- a/demux/demux_asf.c
+++ b/demux/demux_asf.c
@@ -614,9 +614,6 @@ static int demux_asf_control(demuxer_t *demuxer,int cmd, void *arg){
 	    *((double *)arg)=asf->movielength;
 	    return DEMUXER_CTRL_OK;
 
-	case DEMUXER_CTRL_GET_PERCENT_POS:
-		return DEMUXER_CTRL_DONTKNOW;
-
 	default:
 	    return DEMUXER_CTRL_NOTIMPL;
     }
diff --git a/demux/demux_avi.c b/demux/demux_avi.c
index 19f8148e47..fbce13f707 100644
--- a/demux/demux_avi.c
+++ b/demux/demux_avi.c
@@ -794,14 +794,6 @@ static int demux_avi_control(demuxer_t *demuxer,int cmd, void *arg){
 	    if (sh_video->video.dwLength<=1) return DEMUXER_CTRL_GUESS;
 	    return DEMUXER_CTRL_OK;
 
-	case DEMUXER_CTRL_GET_PERCENT_POS:
-    	    if (!priv->numberofframes || !sh_video) {
-              return DEMUXER_CTRL_DONTKNOW;
-	    }
-	    *((int *)arg)=(int)(priv->video_pack_no*100/priv->numberofframes);
-	    if (sh_video->video.dwLength<=1) return DEMUXER_CTRL_GUESS;
-	    return DEMUXER_CTRL_OK;
-
 	case DEMUXER_CTRL_SWITCH_AUDIO:
 	case DEMUXER_CTRL_SWITCH_VIDEO: {
 	    int audio = (cmd == DEMUXER_CTRL_SWITCH_AUDIO);
diff --git a/demux/demux_lavf.c b/demux/demux_lavf.c
index eaa0cfadf8..23495d0ed5 100644
--- a/demux/demux_lavf.c
+++ b/demux/demux_lavf.c
@@ -765,15 +765,10 @@ static int demux_lavf_control(demuxer_t *demuxer, int cmd, void *arg)
         *((double *)arg) = (double)priv->avfc->duration / AV_TIME_BASE;
         return DEMUXER_CTRL_OK;
 
-    case DEMUXER_CTRL_GET_PERCENT_POS:
-        if (priv->seek_by_bytes)
-            return DEMUXER_CTRL_DONTKNOW;  // let it use the fallback code
-        if (priv->avfc->duration == 0 || priv->avfc->duration == AV_NOPTS_VALUE)
-            return DEMUXER_CTRL_DONTKNOW;
-
-        *((int *)arg) = (int)((priv->last_pts - priv->avfc->start_time) * 100 /
-                              priv->avfc->duration);
+    case DEMUXER_CTRL_GET_START_TIME:
+        *((double *)arg) = (double)priv->avfc->start_time / AV_TIME_BASE;
         return DEMUXER_CTRL_OK;
+
     case DEMUXER_CTRL_SWITCH_AUDIO:
     case DEMUXER_CTRL_SWITCH_VIDEO:
     {
diff --git a/demux/demux_mf.c b/demux/demux_mf.c
index 0d73afefc7..236718de36 100644
--- a/demux/demux_mf.c
+++ b/demux/demux_mf.c
@@ -248,12 +248,6 @@ static int demux_control_mf(demuxer_t *demuxer, int cmd, void *arg) {
       *((double *)arg) = (double)mf->nr_of_files / mf->sh->fps;
       return DEMUXER_CTRL_OK;
 
-    case DEMUXER_CTRL_GET_PERCENT_POS:
-      if (mf->nr_of_files < 1)
-        return DEMUXER_CTRL_DONTKNOW;
-      *((int *)arg) = 100 * mf->curr_frame / mf->nr_of_files;
-      return DEMUXER_CTRL_OK;
-
     case DEMUXER_CTRL_CORRECT_PTS:
       return DEMUXER_CTRL_OK;
 
diff --git a/demux/demux_mkv.c b/demux/demux_mkv.c
index 9604a8bafe..a769aac127 100644
--- a/demux/demux_mkv.c
+++ b/demux/demux_mkv.c
@@ -2505,14 +2505,6 @@ static int demux_mkv_control(demuxer_t *demuxer, int cmd, void *arg)
         *((double *) arg) = (double) mkv_d->duration;
         return DEMUXER_CTRL_OK;
 
-    case DEMUXER_CTRL_GET_PERCENT_POS:
-        if (mkv_d->duration == 0) {
-            return DEMUXER_CTRL_DONTKNOW;
-        }
-
-        *((int *) arg) = (int) (100 * mkv_d->last_pts / mkv_d->duration);
-        return DEMUXER_CTRL_OK;
-
     case DEMUXER_CTRL_SWITCH_AUDIO:;
         int new_aid = *(int *) arg;
         int current_aid = demuxer->audio->id;
diff --git a/demux/demux_mng.c b/demux/demux_mng.c
index 5863cbc9c1..bd86b3e3b8 100644
--- a/demux/demux_mng.c
+++ b/demux/demux_mng.c
@@ -589,18 +589,6 @@ static int demux_mng_control(demuxer_t * demuxer, int cmd, void * arg)
           }
           break;
 
-      // get position in movie
-      case DEMUXER_CTRL_GET_PERCENT_POS:
-          if (mng_priv->header_processed && mng_priv->total_time_ms > 0) {
-              *(int *)arg = (100 * mng_priv->show_cur_time_ms
-                             + mng_priv->total_time_ms / 2)
-                            / mng_priv->total_time_ms;
-              return DEMUXER_CTRL_OK;
-          } else {
-              return DEMUXER_CTRL_DONTKNOW;
-          }
-          break;
-
       default:
           return DEMUXER_CTRL_NOTIMPL;
 
diff --git a/demux/demux_mpg.c b/demux/demux_mpg.c
index 8dea97ae28..ab157be748 100644
--- a/demux/demux_mpg.c
+++ b/demux/demux_mpg.c
@@ -1074,9 +1074,9 @@ static int demux_mpg_control(demuxer_t *demuxer, int cmd, void *arg)
             }
     		return DEMUXER_CTRL_DONTKNOW;
 
-	case DEMUXER_CTRL_GET_PERCENT_POS:
+	case DEMUXER_CTRL_GET_START_TIME:
             if (mpg_d && mpg_d->has_valid_timestamps && mpg_d->first_to_final_pts_len > 0.0) {
-              *((int *)arg)=(int)(100 * (mpg_d->last_pts-mpg_d->first_pts) / mpg_d->first_to_final_pts_len);
+              *((float *)arg)=mpg_d->first_pts;
               return DEMUXER_CTRL_OK;
             }
 	    return DEMUXER_CTRL_DONTKNOW;