diff --git a/demux/demux.c b/demux/demux.c
index 985e53fb12..7126a8b577 100644
--- a/demux/demux.c
+++ b/demux/demux.c
@@ -1258,11 +1258,7 @@ static void perform_backward_seek(struct demux_internal *in)
     target -= in->opts->back_seek_size;
 
     MP_VERBOSE(in, "triggering backward seek to get more packets\n");
-
-    // Note: we don't want it to use SEEK_FORWARD, while the player frontend
-    // wants it. As a fragile hack, SEEK_HR controls this.
-    queue_seek(in, target, SEEK_SATAN, false);
-
+    queue_seek(in, target, SEEK_SATAN | SEEK_HR, false);
     in->reading = true;
 }
 
@@ -3225,11 +3221,6 @@ static bool queue_seek(struct demux_internal *in, double seek_pts, int flags,
     bool set_backwards = flags & SEEK_SATAN;
     flags &= ~(unsigned)SEEK_SATAN;
 
-    // For HR seeks in backward playback mode, the correct seek rounding
-    // direction is forward instead of backward.
-    if (set_backwards && (flags & SEEK_HR))
-        flags |= SEEK_FORWARD;
-
     struct demux_cached_range *cache_target =
         find_cache_seek_target(in, seek_pts, flags);
 
diff --git a/player/playloop.c b/player/playloop.c
index 83deea1538..4df514d03b 100644
--- a/player/playloop.c
+++ b/player/playloop.c
@@ -305,6 +305,10 @@ static void mp_seek(MPContext *mpctx, struct seek_params seek)
         demux_flags |= SEEK_FACTOR;
     }
 
+    int play_dir = opts->play_dir;
+    if (play_dir < 0)
+        demux_flags |= SEEK_SATAN;
+
     if (hr_seek) {
         double hr_seek_offset = opts->hr_seek_demuxer_offset;
         // Always try to compensate for possibly bad demuxers in "special"
@@ -321,15 +325,15 @@ static void mp_seek(MPContext *mpctx, struct seek_params seek)
         }
         demux_pts -= hr_seek_offset;
         demux_flags = (demux_flags | SEEK_HR) & ~SEEK_FORWARD;
+        // For HR seeks in backward playback mode, the correct seek rounding
+        // direction is forward instead of backward.
+        if (play_dir < 0)
+            demux_flags |= SEEK_FORWARD;
     }
 
     if (!mpctx->demuxer->seekable)
         demux_flags |= SEEK_CACHED;
 
-    int play_dir = opts->play_dir;
-    if (play_dir < 0)
-        demux_flags |= SEEK_SATAN;
-
     if (!demux_seek(mpctx->demuxer, demux_pts, demux_flags)) {
         if (!mpctx->demuxer->seekable) {
             MP_ERR(mpctx, "Cannot seek in this stream.\n");