diff --git a/demux/demux.c b/demux/demux.c
index 2d40643a71..ba2678466f 100644
--- a/demux/demux.c
+++ b/demux/demux.c
@@ -1077,14 +1077,22 @@ struct demuxer *demux_open_url(const char *url,
                                 struct mpv_global *global)
 {
     struct MPOpts *opts = global->opts;
-    struct stream *s = stream_create(url, STREAM_READ, cancel, global);
+    struct demuxer_params dummy = {0};
+    if (!params)
+        params = &dummy;
+    struct stream *s = stream_create(url, STREAM_READ | params->stream_flags,
+                                     cancel, global);
     if (!s)
         return NULL;
-    if (!(params && params->disable_cache))
+    if (params->allow_capture)
+        stream_set_capture_file(s, opts->stream_capture);
+    if (!params->disable_cache)
         stream_enable_cache(&s, &opts->stream_cache);
     struct demuxer *d = demux_open(s, params, global);
-    if (!d)
+    if (!d) {
+        params->demuxer_failed = true;
         free_stream(s);
+    }
     return d;
 }
 
diff --git a/demux/demux.h b/demux/demux.h
index 09b49bbf97..22c7323ef1 100644
--- a/demux/demux.h
+++ b/demux/demux.h
@@ -169,7 +169,12 @@ struct demuxer_params {
     int matroska_wanted_segment;
     bool *matroska_was_valid;
     bool expect_subtitle;
-    bool disable_cache; // demux_open_url() only
+    // -- demux_open_url() only
+    int stream_flags;
+    bool allow_capture;
+    bool disable_cache;
+    // result
+    bool demuxer_failed;
 };
 
 typedef struct demuxer {
diff --git a/player/loadfile.c b/player/loadfile.c
index 1a6dccd3e4..59b8924948 100644
--- a/player/loadfile.c
+++ b/player/loadfile.c
@@ -916,55 +916,30 @@ static void load_per_file_options(m_config_t *conf,
     }
 }
 
-struct stream_open_args {
-    struct mp_cancel *cancel;
-    struct mpv_global *global;  // contains copy of global options
-    char *filename;
-    int stream_flags;
-    struct stream *stream;      // result
-};
-
-static void open_stream_thread(void *pctx)
-{
-    struct stream_open_args *args = pctx;
-    args->stream = stream_create(args->filename, args->stream_flags,
-                                 args->cancel, args->global);
-}
-
-static struct stream *open_stream_reentrant(struct MPContext *mpctx,
-                                            char *filename, int stream_flags)
-{
-    struct stream_open_args args = {
-        .cancel = mpctx->playback_abort,
-        .global = create_sub_global(mpctx),
-        .filename = filename,
-        .stream_flags = stream_flags,
-    };
-    mpctx_run_reentrant(mpctx, open_stream_thread, &args);
-    if (args.stream) {
-        talloc_steal(args.stream, args.global);
-    } else {
-        talloc_free(args.global);
-    }
-    return args.stream;
-}
-
 struct demux_open_args {
-    struct stream *stream;
+    int stream_flags;
+    char *url;
     struct mpv_global *global;
+    struct mp_cancel *cancel;
     struct mp_log *log;
     // results
     struct demuxer *demux;
     struct timeline *tl;
+    int err;
 };
 
 static void open_demux_thread(void *pctx)
 {
     struct demux_open_args *args = pctx;
-    struct stream *s = args->stream;
     struct mpv_global *global = args->global;
-    struct demuxer_params p = {.force_format = global->opts->demuxer_name};
-    args->demux = demux_open(s, &p, global);
+    struct demuxer_params p = {
+        .force_format = global->opts->demuxer_name,
+        .allow_capture = true,
+        .stream_flags = args->stream_flags,
+    };
+    args->demux = demux_open_url(args->url, &p, args->cancel, global);
+    if (!args->demux && p.demuxer_failed)
+        args->err = MPV_ERROR_UNKNOWN_FORMAT;
     if (args->demux)
         args->tl = timeline_load(global, args->log, args->demux);
 }
@@ -973,17 +948,23 @@ static void open_demux_reentrant(struct MPContext *mpctx)
 {
     struct demux_open_args args = {
         .global = create_sub_global(mpctx),
-        .stream = mpctx->stream,
+        .cancel = mpctx->playback_abort,
         .log = mpctx->log,
+        .stream_flags = mpctx->playing->stream_flags,
+        .url = talloc_strdup(NULL, mpctx->stream_open_filename),
     };
+    if (mpctx->opts->load_unsafe_playlists)
+        args.stream_flags = 0;
     mpctx_run_reentrant(mpctx, open_demux_thread, &args);
     if (args.demux) {
         talloc_steal(args.demux, args.global);
         mpctx->master_demuxer = args.demux;
         mpctx->tl = args.tl;
     } else {
+        mpctx->error_playing = args.err;
         talloc_free(args.global);
     }
+    talloc_free(args.url);
 }
 
 static void load_timeline(struct MPContext *mpctx)
@@ -1093,29 +1074,9 @@ reopen_file:
         goto terminate_playback;
     }
 
-    int stream_flags = STREAM_READ;
-    if (!opts->load_unsafe_playlists)
-        stream_flags |= mpctx->playing->stream_flags;
-    mpctx->stream = open_stream_reentrant(mpctx, mpctx->stream_open_filename,
-                                          stream_flags);
-    if (!mpctx->stream)
-        goto terminate_playback;
-
-    stream_enable_cache(&mpctx->stream, &opts->stream_cache);
-
-    mp_notify(mpctx, MP_EVENT_CHANGE_ALL, NULL);
-    mp_process_input(mpctx);
-    if (mpctx->stop_play)
-        goto terminate_playback;
-
-    stream_set_capture_file(mpctx->stream, opts->stream_capture);
-
     open_demux_reentrant(mpctx);
-    if (!mpctx->master_demuxer) {
-        MP_ERR(mpctx, "Failed to recognize file format.\n");
-        mpctx->error_playing = MPV_ERROR_UNKNOWN_FORMAT;
+    if (!mpctx->master_demuxer)
         goto terminate_playback;
-    }
     mpctx->demuxer = mpctx->master_demuxer;
 
     load_timeline(mpctx);
@@ -1257,8 +1218,6 @@ terminate_playback:
 
     mp_cancel_trigger(mpctx->playback_abort);
 
-    MP_INFO(mpctx, "\n");
-
     // time to uninit all, except global stuff:
     uninit_audio_chain(mpctx);
     uninit_video_chain(mpctx);
@@ -1316,6 +1275,10 @@ terminate_playback:
     };
     mp_notify(mpctx, MPV_EVENT_END_FILE, &end_event);
 
+    if (mpctx->error_playing == MPV_ERROR_UNKNOWN_FORMAT)
+        MP_ERR(mpctx, "Failed to recognize file format.\n");
+    MP_INFO(mpctx, "\n");
+
     if (mpctx->playing)
         playlist_entry_unref(mpctx->playing);
     mpctx->playing = NULL;