diff --git a/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/DefaultLoadControl.java b/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/DefaultLoadControl.java
index 1244b96d94..7bfd4c7cbe 100644
--- a/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/DefaultLoadControl.java
+++ b/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/DefaultLoadControl.java
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ public class DefaultLoadControl implements LoadControl {
   private final long backBufferDurationUs;
   private final boolean retainBackBufferFromKeyframe;
 
-  private int targetBufferSize;
+  private int targetBufferBytes;
   private boolean isBuffering;
   private boolean hasVideo;
 
@@ -334,6 +334,10 @@ public class DefaultLoadControl implements LoadControl {
     this.bufferForPlaybackUs = C.msToUs(bufferForPlaybackMs);
     this.bufferForPlaybackAfterRebufferUs = C.msToUs(bufferForPlaybackAfterRebufferMs);
     this.targetBufferBytesOverwrite = targetBufferBytes;
+    this.targetBufferBytes =
+        targetBufferBytesOverwrite != C.LENGTH_UNSET
+            ? targetBufferBytesOverwrite
+            : DEFAULT_MUXED_BUFFER_SIZE;
     this.prioritizeTimeOverSizeThresholds = prioritizeTimeOverSizeThresholds;
     this.backBufferDurationUs = C.msToUs(backBufferDurationMs);
     this.retainBackBufferFromKeyframe = retainBackBufferFromKeyframe;
@@ -348,11 +352,11 @@ public class DefaultLoadControl implements LoadControl {
   public void onTracksSelected(Renderer[] renderers, TrackGroupArray trackGroups,
       TrackSelectionArray trackSelections) {
     hasVideo = hasVideo(renderers, trackSelections);
-    targetBufferSize =
+    targetBufferBytes =
         targetBufferBytesOverwrite == C.LENGTH_UNSET
-            ? calculateTargetBufferSize(renderers, trackSelections)
+            ? calculateTargetBufferBytes(renderers, trackSelections)
             : targetBufferBytesOverwrite;
-    allocator.setTargetBufferSize(targetBufferSize);
+    allocator.setTargetBufferSize(targetBufferBytes);
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -382,7 +386,7 @@ public class DefaultLoadControl implements LoadControl {
 
   @Override
   public boolean shouldContinueLoading(long bufferedDurationUs, float playbackSpeed) {
-    boolean targetBufferSizeReached = allocator.getTotalBytesAllocated() >= targetBufferSize;
+    boolean targetBufferSizeReached = allocator.getTotalBytesAllocated() >= targetBufferBytes;
     long minBufferUs = hasVideo ? minBufferVideoUs : minBufferAudioUs;
     if (playbackSpeed > 1) {
       // The playback speed is faster than real time, so scale up the minimum required media
@@ -391,6 +395,8 @@ public class DefaultLoadControl implements LoadControl {
           Util.getMediaDurationForPlayoutDuration(minBufferUs, playbackSpeed);
       minBufferUs = Math.min(mediaDurationMinBufferUs, maxBufferUs);
     }
+    // Prevent playback from getting stuck if minBufferUs is too small.
+    minBufferUs = Math.max(minBufferUs, 500_000);
     if (bufferedDurationUs < minBufferUs) {
       isBuffering = prioritizeTimeOverSizeThresholds || !targetBufferSizeReached;
     } else if (bufferedDurationUs >= maxBufferUs || targetBufferSizeReached) {
@@ -407,7 +413,7 @@ public class DefaultLoadControl implements LoadControl {
     return minBufferDurationUs <= 0
         || bufferedDurationUs >= minBufferDurationUs
         || (!prioritizeTimeOverSizeThresholds
-            && allocator.getTotalBytesAllocated() >= targetBufferSize);
+            && allocator.getTotalBytesAllocated() >= targetBufferBytes);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -418,7 +424,7 @@ public class DefaultLoadControl implements LoadControl {
    * @param trackSelectionArray The selected tracks.
    * @return The target buffer size in bytes.
    */
-  protected int calculateTargetBufferSize(
+  protected int calculateTargetBufferBytes(
       Renderer[] renderers, TrackSelectionArray trackSelectionArray) {
     int targetBufferSize = 0;
     for (int i = 0; i < renderers.length; i++) {
@@ -430,7 +436,10 @@ public class DefaultLoadControl implements LoadControl {
   }
 
   private void reset(boolean resetAllocator) {
-    targetBufferSize = 0;
+    targetBufferBytes =
+        targetBufferBytesOverwrite == C.LENGTH_UNSET
+            ? DEFAULT_MUXED_BUFFER_SIZE
+            : targetBufferBytesOverwrite;
     isBuffering = false;
     if (resetAllocator) {
       allocator.reset();
diff --git a/library/core/src/test/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/DefaultLoadControlTest.java b/library/core/src/test/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/DefaultLoadControlTest.java
index 31f432db15..e49023a29e 100644
--- a/library/core/src/test/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/DefaultLoadControlTest.java
+++ b/library/core/src/test/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/DefaultLoadControlTest.java
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ public class DefaultLoadControlTest {
   @Test
   public void testShouldContinueLoading_untilMaxBufferExceeded() {
     createDefaultLoadControl();
+
     assertThat(loadControl.shouldContinueLoading(/* bufferedDurationUs= */ 0, SPEED)).isTrue();
     assertThat(loadControl.shouldContinueLoading(MIN_BUFFER_US, SPEED)).isTrue();
     assertThat(loadControl.shouldContinueLoading(MAX_BUFFER_US - 1, SPEED)).isTrue();
@@ -56,11 +57,27 @@ public class DefaultLoadControlTest {
   public void testShouldNotContinueLoadingOnceBufferingStopped_untilBelowMinBuffer() {
     createDefaultLoadControl();
     assertThat(loadControl.shouldContinueLoading(MAX_BUFFER_US, SPEED)).isFalse();
+
     assertThat(loadControl.shouldContinueLoading(MAX_BUFFER_US - 1, SPEED)).isFalse();
     assertThat(loadControl.shouldContinueLoading(MIN_BUFFER_US, SPEED)).isFalse();
     assertThat(loadControl.shouldContinueLoading(MIN_BUFFER_US - 1, SPEED)).isTrue();
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void
+      testContinueLoadingOnceBufferingStopped_andBufferAlmostEmpty_evenIfMinBufferNotReached() {
+    builder.setBufferDurationsMs(
+        /* minBufferMs= */ 0,
+        /* maxBufferMs= */ (int) C.usToMs(MAX_BUFFER_US),
+        /* bufferForPlaybackMs= */ 0,
+        /* bufferForPlaybackAfterRebufferMs= */ 0);
+    createDefaultLoadControl();
+    assertThat(loadControl.shouldContinueLoading(MAX_BUFFER_US, SPEED)).isFalse();
+
+    assertThat(loadControl.shouldContinueLoading(5 * C.MICROS_PER_SECOND, SPEED)).isFalse();
+    assertThat(loadControl.shouldContinueLoading(500L, SPEED)).isTrue();
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void testShouldContinueLoadingWithTargetBufferBytesReached_untilMinBufferReached() {
     createDefaultLoadControl();
@@ -81,6 +98,7 @@ public class DefaultLoadControlTest {
     makeSureTargetBufferBytesReached();
 
     assertThat(loadControl.shouldContinueLoading(/* bufferedDurationUs= */ 0, SPEED)).isFalse();
+    assertThat(loadControl.shouldContinueLoading(MIN_BUFFER_US - 1, SPEED)).isFalse();
     assertThat(loadControl.shouldContinueLoading(MIN_BUFFER_US, SPEED)).isFalse();
     assertThat(loadControl.shouldContinueLoading(MAX_BUFFER_US, SPEED)).isFalse();
   }
@@ -91,7 +109,6 @@ public class DefaultLoadControlTest {
 
     // At normal playback speed, we stop buffering when the buffer reaches the minimum.
     assertThat(loadControl.shouldContinueLoading(MIN_BUFFER_US, SPEED)).isFalse();
-
     // At double playback speed, we continue loading.
     assertThat(loadControl.shouldContinueLoading(MIN_BUFFER_US, /* playbackSpeed= */ 2f)).isTrue();
   }
@@ -107,6 +124,7 @@ public class DefaultLoadControlTest {
   @Test
   public void testStartsPlayback_whenMinBufferSizeReached() {
     createDefaultLoadControl();
+    
     assertThat(loadControl.shouldStartPlayback(MIN_BUFFER_US, SPEED, /* rebuffering= */ false))
         .isTrue();
   }