diff --git a/app/src/main/java/code/name/monkey/retromusic/helper/MusicPlayerRemote.kt b/app/src/main/java/code/name/monkey/retromusic/helper/MusicPlayerRemote.kt
index a57af2a17..421586db9 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/code/name/monkey/retromusic/helper/MusicPlayerRemote.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/code/name/monkey/retromusic/helper/MusicPlayerRemote.kt
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ import android.app.Activity
 import android.content.*
 import android.database.Cursor
 import android.net.Uri
+import android.os.Handler
 import android.os.IBinder
+import android.os.Looper
 import android.provider.DocumentsContract
 import android.widget.Toast
 import androidx.core.content.ContextCompat
@@ -115,13 +117,10 @@ object MusicPlayerRemote : KoinComponent {
         val realActivity = (context as Activity).parent ?: context
         val contextWrapper = ContextWrapper(realActivity)
         val intent = Intent(contextWrapper, MusicService::class.java)
-        try {
-            contextWrapper.startService(intent)
-        } catch (ignored: IllegalStateException) {
-            runCatching {
-                ContextCompat.startForegroundService(context, intent)
-            }
+        Handler(Looper.getMainLooper()).post {
+            ContextCompat.startForegroundService(context, intent)
         }
+
         val binder = ServiceBinder(callback)
 
         if (contextWrapper.bindService(
@@ -416,7 +415,7 @@ object MusicPlayerRemote : KoinComponent {
                     }
                 }
             }
-            if (songs == null || songs.isEmpty()) {
+            if (songs.isNullOrEmpty()) {
                 var songFile: File? = null
                 if (uri.authority != null && uri.authority == "com.android.externalstorage.documents") {
                     val path = uri.path?.split(":".toRegex(), 2)?.get(1)
@@ -436,7 +435,7 @@ object MusicPlayerRemote : KoinComponent {
                     songs = songRepository.songsByFilePath(songFile.absolutePath, true)
                 }
             }
-            if (songs != null && songs.isNotEmpty()) {
+            if (!songs.isNullOrEmpty()) {
                 openQueue(songs, 0, true)
             } else {
                 try {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/code/name/monkey/retromusic/service/MediaButtonIntentReceiver.kt b/app/src/main/java/code/name/monkey/retromusic/service/MediaButtonIntentReceiver.kt
index 6476dd041..c0bb0768f 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/code/name/monkey/retromusic/service/MediaButtonIntentReceiver.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/code/name/monkey/retromusic/service/MediaButtonIntentReceiver.kt
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ class MediaButtonIntentReceiver : MediaButtonReceiver() {
                     KeyEvent.KEYCODE_MEDIA_STOP -> command = ACTION_STOP
                     KeyEvent.KEYCODE_HEADSETHOOK, KeyEvent.KEYCODE_MEDIA_PLAY_PAUSE -> command =
                         ACTION_TOGGLE_PAUSE
+
                     KeyEvent.KEYCODE_MEDIA_NEXT -> command = ACTION_SKIP
                     KeyEvent.KEYCODE_MEDIA_PREVIOUS -> command = ACTION_REWIND
                     KeyEvent.KEYCODE_MEDIA_PAUSE -> command = ACTION_PAUSE
@@ -154,15 +155,7 @@ class MediaButtonIntentReceiver : MediaButtonReceiver() {
         private fun startService(context: Context, command: String?) {
             val intent = Intent(context, MusicService::class.java)
             intent.action = command
-            try {
-                // IMPORTANT NOTE: (kind of a hack)
-                // on Android O and above the following crashes when the app is not running
-                // there is no good way to check whether the app is running so we catch the exception
-                // we do not always want to use startForegroundService() because then one gets an ANR
-                // if no notification is displayed via startForeground()
-                // according to Play analytics this happens a lot, I suppose for example if command = PAUSE
-                context.startService(intent)
-            } catch (ignored: IllegalStateException) {
+            Handler(Looper.getMainLooper()).post {
                 ContextCompat.startForegroundService(context, intent)
             }
         }