diff --git a/RELEASENOTES.md b/RELEASENOTES.md
index b37dcdc5c3..32e79a970b 100644
--- a/RELEASENOTES.md
+++ b/RELEASENOTES.md
@@ -121,6 +121,15 @@
     *   Fix issue where `MediaMetadata` with just non-null `extras` is not
         transmitted between media controllers and sessions
         ([#1176](https://github.com/androidx/media/issues/1176)).
+    *   Add `MediaSessionService.isPlaybackOngoing()` to let apps query whether
+        the service needs to be stopped in `onTaskRemoved()`
+        ([#1219](https://github.com/androidx/media/issues/1219)).
+    *   Add `MediaSessionService.pauseAllPlayersAndStopSelf()` that conveniently
+        allows to pause playback of all sessions and call `stopSelf` to
+        terminate the lifecyce of the `MediaSessionService`.
+    *   Override `MediaSessionService.onTaskRemoved(Intent)` to provide a safe
+        default implementation that keeps the service running in the foreground
+        if playback is ongoing or stops the service otherwise.
 *   UI:
     *   Fallback to include audio track language name if `Locale` cannot
         identify a display name
diff --git a/demos/session_service/src/main/java/androidx/media3/demo/session/DemoPlaybackService.kt b/demos/session_service/src/main/java/androidx/media3/demo/session/DemoPlaybackService.kt
index 3bd5440bdd..f34d864658 100644
--- a/demos/session_service/src/main/java/androidx/media3/demo/session/DemoPlaybackService.kt
+++ b/demos/session_service/src/main/java/androidx/media3/demo/session/DemoPlaybackService.kt
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ import android.Manifest
 import android.app.NotificationChannel
 import android.app.NotificationManager
 import android.app.PendingIntent
-import android.content.Intent
 import android.content.pm.PackageManager
 import android.os.Build
 import androidx.annotation.OptIn
@@ -90,13 +89,6 @@ open class DemoPlaybackService : MediaLibraryService() {
     return mediaLibrarySession
   }
 
-  override fun onTaskRemoved(rootIntent: Intent?) {
-    val player = mediaLibrarySession.player
-    if (!player.playWhenReady || player.mediaItemCount == 0) {
-      stopSelf()
-    }
-  }
-
   // MediaSession.setSessionActivity
   // MediaSessionService.clearListener
   @OptIn(UnstableApi::class)
@@ -166,7 +158,7 @@ open class DemoPlaybackService : MediaLibraryService() {
       NotificationChannel(
         CHANNEL_ID,
         getString(R.string.notification_channel_name),
-        NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_DEFAULT
+        NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_DEFAULT,
       )
     notificationManagerCompat.createNotificationChannel(channel)
   }
diff --git a/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaSessionService.java b/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaSessionService.java
index beb6e71e8b..120a5a5501 100644
--- a/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaSessionService.java
+++ b/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaSessionService.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import static androidx.media3.common.util.Assertions.checkNotNull;
 import static androidx.media3.common.util.Assertions.checkStateNotNull;
 import static androidx.media3.common.util.Util.postOrRun;
 
+import android.app.Activity;
 import android.app.ForegroundServiceStartNotAllowedException;
 import android.app.Service;
 import android.content.ComponentName;
@@ -469,6 +470,62 @@ public abstract class MediaSessionService extends Service {
         /* connectionHints= */ Bundle.EMPTY);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Returns whether there is a session with ongoing playback that must be paused or stopped before
+   * being able to terminate the service by calling {@link #stopSelf()}.
+   */
+  @UnstableApi
+  public boolean isPlaybackOngoing() {
+    return getMediaNotificationManager().isStartedInForeground();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Pauses the player of each session managed by the service and calls {@link #stopSelf()}.
+   *
+   * <p>This terminates the service lifecycle and triggers {@link #onDestroy()} that an app can
+   * override to release the sessions and other resources.
+   */
+  @UnstableApi
+  public void pauseAllPlayersAndStopSelf() {
+    List<MediaSession> sessionList = getSessions();
+    for (int i = 0; i < sessionList.size(); i++) {
+      sessionList.get(i).getPlayer().setPlayWhenReady(false);
+    }
+    stopSelf();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritDoc}
+   *
+   * <p>If {@linkplain #isPlaybackOngoing() playback is ongoing}, the service continues running in
+   * the foreground when the app is dismissed from the recent apps. Otherwise, the service is
+   * stopped by calling {@link #stopSelf()} which terminates the service lifecycle and triggers
+   * {@link #onDestroy()} that an app can override to release the sessions and other resources.
+   *
+   * <p>An app can safely override this method without calling super to implement a different
+   * behaviour, for instance unconditionally calling {@link #pauseAllPlayersAndStopSelf()} to stop
+   * the service even when playing. However, if {@linkplain #isPlaybackOngoing() playback is not
+   * ongoing}, the service must be terminated otherwise the service will be crashed and restarted by
+   * the system.
+   *
+   * <p>Note: The service <a
+   * href="https://developer.android.com/develop/background-work/services/bound-services#Lifecycle">can't
+   * be stopped</a> until all media controllers have been unbound. Hence, an app needs to release
+   * all internal controllers that have connected to the service (for instance from an activity in
+   * {@link Activity#onStop()}). If an app allows external apps to connect a {@link MediaController}
+   * to the service, these controllers also need to be disconnected. In such a scenario of external
+   * bound clients, an app needs to override this method to release the session before calling
+   * {@link #stopSelf()}.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public void onTaskRemoved(@Nullable Intent rootIntent) {
+    if (!isPlaybackOngoing()) {
+      // The service needs to be stopped when playback is not ongoing and the service is not in the
+      // foreground.
+      stopSelf();
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Called when the service is no longer used and is being removed.
    *