diff --git a/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/web-controls/VideoControls.tsx b/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/web-controls/VideoControls.tsx
index 5a23e595a9..0f5f7fdc78 100644
--- a/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/web-controls/VideoControls.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/web-controls/VideoControls.tsx
@@ -130,13 +130,14 @@ export function Controls({
   const autoplayDisabled = useAutoplayDisabled() || isWithinMessage
   useEffect(() => {
     if (active) {
-      if (onScreen) {
+      // GIFs play immediately, videos wait until onScreen
+      if (onScreen || isGif) {
         if (!autoplayDisabled) play()
       } else {
         pause()
       }
     }
-  }, [onScreen, pause, active, play, autoplayDisabled])
+  }, [onScreen, pause, active, play, autoplayDisabled, isGif])
 
   // use minimal quality when not focused
   useEffect(() => {
diff --git a/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/index.web.tsx b/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/index.web.tsx
index 19c6c83b2c..aea5b5d413 100644
--- a/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/index.web.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/index.web.tsx
@@ -26,15 +26,25 @@ import {IS_WEB_FIREFOX} from '#/env'
 import {useActiveVideoWeb} from './ActiveVideoWebContext'
 import * as VideoFallback from './VideoEmbedInner/VideoFallback'
 
+const noop = () => {}
+
 export function VideoEmbed({embed}: {embed: AppBskyEmbedVideo.View}) {
   const t = useTheme()
   const ref = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null)
-  const {active, setActive, sendPosition, currentActiveView} =
-    useActiveVideoWeb()
+  const {
+    active: activeFromContext,
+    setActive,
+    sendPosition,
+    currentActiveView,
+  } = useActiveVideoWeb()
   const [onScreen, setOnScreen] = useState(false)
   const [isFullscreen] = useFullscreen()
   const lastKnownTime = useRef<number | undefined>(undefined)
 
+  const isGif = embed.presentation === 'gif'
+  // GIFs don't participate in the "one video at a time" system
+  const active = isGif || activeFromContext
+
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!ref.current) return
     if (isFullscreen && !IS_WEB_FIREFOX) return
@@ -43,15 +53,18 @@ export function VideoEmbed({embed}: {embed: AppBskyEmbedVideo.View}) {
         const entry = entries[0]
         if (!entry) return
         setOnScreen(entry.isIntersecting)
-        sendPosition(
-          entry.boundingClientRect.y + entry.boundingClientRect.height / 2,
-        )
+        // GIFs don't send position - they don't compete to be the active video
+        if (!isGif) {
+          sendPosition(
+            entry.boundingClientRect.y + entry.boundingClientRect.height / 2,
+          )
+        }
       },
       {threshold: 0.5},
     )
     observer.observe(ref.current)
     return () => observer.disconnect()
-  }, [sendPosition, isFullscreen])
+  }, [sendPosition, isFullscreen, isGif])
 
   const [key, setKey] = useState(0)
   const renderError = useCallback(
@@ -107,7 +120,7 @@ export function VideoEmbed({embed}: {embed: AppBskyEmbedVideo.View}) {
   return (
     <View style={[a.pt_xs]}>
       <ViewportObserver
-        sendPosition={sendPosition}
+        sendPosition={isGif ? noop : sendPosition}
         isAnyViewActive={currentActiveView !== null}>
         <ConstrainedImage
           fullBleed