diff --git a/player/platformio.ini b/player/platformio.ini
index c3ab644..51c4afc 100644
--- a/player/platformio.ini
+++ b/player/platformio.ini
@@ -168,6 +168,8 @@ build_flags =
   -DSD_CARD_MOSI=GPIO_NUM_23
   -DSD_CARD_CLK=GPIO_NUM_18
   -DSD_CARD_CS=GPIO_NUM_5
+  ; increase file buffer size to prevent playback stalling on SD Card read
+  -DFILE_BUFFER_SIZE=16384
 
 [env:touch-down]
 extends = esp32_common
@@ -235,6 +237,8 @@ build_flags =
   -DSD_CARD_MOSI=GPIO_NUM_15
   -DSD_CARD_CLK=GPIO_NUM_13
   -DSD_CARD_CS=GPIO_NUM_2
+  ; increase file buffer size to prevent playback stalling on SD Card read
+  -DFILE_BUFFER_SIZE=16384
 
 [env:m5core2]
 extends = esp32_common 
diff --git a/player/src/AVIParser/AVIParser.cpp b/player/src/AVIParser/AVIParser.cpp
index 798b9dd..bec86dc 100644
--- a/player/src/AVIParser/AVIParser.cpp
+++ b/player/src/AVIParser/AVIParser.cpp
@@ -65,6 +65,11 @@ bool AVIParser::open()
     Serial.printf("Failed to open file.\n");
     return false;
   }
+  #ifdef FILE_BUFFER_SIZE
+  // Increase size of file buffer if needed.
+  Serial.printf("Setting file buffer size to %d bytes.\n", FILE_BUFFER_SIZE);
+  setvbuf(mFile, NULL, _IOFBF, FILE_BUFFER_SIZE);
+  #endif
   // check the file is valid
   ChunkHeader header;
   // Read RIFF header
@@ -129,7 +134,7 @@ bool AVIParser::open()
   return true;
 }
 
-size_t AVIParser::getNextChunk(uint8_t **buffer, size_t &bufferLength)
+size_t AVIParser::getNextChunk(uint8_t **buffer, size_t &bufferLength, bool skipRead)
 {
   // check if the file is open
   if (!mFile)
@@ -153,14 +158,22 @@ size_t AVIParser::getNextChunk(uint8_t **buffer, size_t &bufferLength)
     if (mRequiredChunkType == AVIChunkType::VIDEO && isVideoChunk ||
         mRequiredChunkType == AVIChunkType::AUDIO && isAudioChunk)
     {
-      // we've got the required chunk - copy it into the provided buffer
-      // reallocate the buffer if necessary
-      if (header.chunkSize > bufferLength)
-      {
-        *buffer = (uint8_t *)realloc(*buffer, header.chunkSize);
+      // we've got the required chunk
+      if (skipRead)
+      { // skip over this chunk
+        fseek(mFile, header.chunkSize, SEEK_CUR);
+      }
+      else
+      { // copy this chunk into the provided buffer
+        // reallocate the buffer if necessary
+        if (header.chunkSize > bufferLength)
+        {
+          *buffer = (uint8_t *)realloc(*buffer, header.chunkSize);
+          bufferLength = header.chunkSize;
+        }
+        // copy the chunk data
+        fread(*buffer, header.chunkSize, 1, mFile);
       }
-      // copy the chunk data
-      fread(*buffer, header.chunkSize, 1, mFile);
       mMoviListLength -= header.chunkSize;
       // handle any padding bytes
       if (header.chunkSize % 2 != 0)
diff --git a/player/src/AVIParser/AVIParser.h b/player/src/AVIParser/AVIParser.h
index 5aef56f..cb21c91 100644
--- a/player/src/AVIParser/AVIParser.h
+++ b/player/src/AVIParser/AVIParser.h
@@ -20,5 +20,5 @@ class AVIParser
   AVIParser(std::string fname, AVIChunkType requiredChunkType);
   ~AVIParser();
   bool open();
-  size_t getNextChunk(uint8_t **buffer, size_t &bufferLength);
+  size_t getNextChunk(uint8_t **buffer, size_t &bufferLength, bool skipRead=false);
 };
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/player/src/VideoSource/SDCardVideoSource.cpp b/player/src/VideoSource/SDCardVideoSource.cpp
index 9d8ae38..a8860b0 100644
--- a/player/src/VideoSource/SDCardVideoSource.cpp
+++ b/player/src/VideoSource/SDCardVideoSource.cpp
@@ -38,15 +38,25 @@ bool SDCardVideoSource::getVideoFrame(uint8_t **buffer, size_t &bufferLength, si
   // work out the video time from a combination of the currentAudioSample and the elapsed time
   int elapsedTime = millis() - mLastAudioTimeUpdateMs;
   int videoTime = mAudioTimeMs + elapsedTime;
-  int frameTime = 1000 * mFrameCount / DEFAULT_FPS;
-  if (videoTime <= frameTime)
-  {
+  int targetFrame = videoTime * DEFAULT_FPS / 1000;
+  if (mFrameCount >= targetFrame){
     return false;
   }
-  while (videoTime > 1000 * mFrameCount / DEFAULT_FPS)
-  {
+  // Skip some number of frames if we have fallen behind
+  while (targetFrame - mFrameCount > 1){
+    size_t skipped = parser->getNextChunk(buffer, bufferLength, true);
+    if (skipped == 0) {
+      // No more data or error — bail without advancing the frame counter.
+      return false;
+    }
     mFrameCount++;
-    frameLength = parser->getNextChunk((uint8_t **)buffer, bufferLength);
   }
+  // We are caught up to targetFrame-1, so load the next frame to show.
+  frameLength = parser->getNextChunk(buffer, bufferLength);
+  if (frameLength == 0){
+    return false;
+  }
+  mFrameCount++;
+
   return true;
 }