diff --git a/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaController.java b/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaController.java
index 2cdbba2276..53d7b912c1 100644
--- a/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaController.java
+++ b/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaController.java
@@ -374,6 +374,7 @@ public class MediaController implements Player {
     @Initialized
     MediaController thisRef = this;
     impl = thisRef.createImpl(context, thisRef, token, connectionHints);
+    impl.connect();
   }
 
   /* package */ MediaControllerImpl createImpl(
@@ -1823,6 +1824,8 @@ public class MediaController implements Player {
 
   interface MediaControllerImpl {
 
+    void connect();
+
     void addListener(Player.Listener listener);
 
     void removeListener(Player.Listener listener);
diff --git a/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaControllerImplBase.java b/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaControllerImplBase.java
index 47d07b71e2..c2fd9f81a9 100644
--- a/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaControllerImplBase.java
+++ b/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaControllerImplBase.java
@@ -166,6 +166,7 @@ import org.checkerframework.checker.nullness.qual.NonNull;
 
   private final Context context;
   private final SessionToken token;
+  private final Bundle connectionHints;
   private final IBinder.DeathRecipient deathRecipient;
   private final SurfaceCallback surfaceCallback;
   private final ListenerSet<Listener> listeners;
@@ -211,12 +212,24 @@ import org.checkerframework.checker.nullness.qual.NonNull;
     sequencedFutureManager = new SequencedFutureManager();
     controllerStub = new MediaControllerStub(this);
     this.token = token;
+    this.connectionHints = connectionHints;
     deathRecipient =
         () ->
             MediaControllerImplBase.this.instance.runOnApplicationLooper(
                 MediaControllerImplBase.this.instance::release);
     surfaceCallback = new SurfaceCallback();
 
+    serviceConnection =
+        (this.token.getType() == TYPE_SESSION)
+            ? null
+            : new SessionServiceConnection(connectionHints);
+    flushCommandQueueHandler = new FlushCommandQueueHandler(instance.getApplicationLooper());
+    lastReturnedContentPositionMs = C.TIME_UNSET;
+    lastSetPlayWhenReadyCalledTimeMs = C.TIME_UNSET;
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void connect() {
     boolean connectionRequested;
     if (this.token.getType() == TYPE_SESSION) {
       // Session
@@ -229,9 +242,6 @@ import org.checkerframework.checker.nullness.qual.NonNull;
     if (!connectionRequested) {
       this.instance.runOnApplicationLooper(MediaControllerImplBase.this.instance::release);
     }
-    flushCommandQueueHandler = new FlushCommandQueueHandler(instance.getApplicationLooper());
-    lastReturnedContentPositionMs = C.TIME_UNSET;
-    lastSetPlayWhenReadyCalledTimeMs = C.TIME_UNSET;
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaControllerImplLegacy.java b/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaControllerImplLegacy.java
index a88f438b28..aec3f925f5 100644
--- a/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaControllerImplLegacy.java
+++ b/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaControllerImplLegacy.java
@@ -155,9 +155,11 @@ import org.checkerframework.checker.nullness.compatqual.NullableType;
     this.instance = instance;
     controllerCompatCallback = new ControllerCompatCallback();
     this.token = token;
+  }
 
+  @Override
+  public void connect() {
     if (this.token.getType() == SessionToken.TYPE_SESSION) {
-      browserCompat = null;
       connectToSession((MediaSessionCompat.Token) checkStateNotNull(this.token.getBinder()));
     } else {
       connectToService();
diff --git a/libraries/test_session_current/src/androidTest/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaSessionAndControllerTest.java b/libraries/test_session_current/src/androidTest/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaSessionAndControllerTest.java
index 6b04d16644..0ff9c10b0a 100644
--- a/libraries/test_session_current/src/androidTest/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaSessionAndControllerTest.java
+++ b/libraries/test_session_current/src/androidTest/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaSessionAndControllerTest.java
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException;
 import java.util.concurrent.Executor;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean;
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference;
 import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.ClassRule;
 import org.junit.Rule;
@@ -117,11 +118,15 @@ public class MediaSessionAndControllerTest {
     Handler mainHandler = new Handler(Looper.getMainLooper());
     Executor mainExecutor = (runnable) -> Util.postOrRun(mainHandler, runnable);
     for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
-      int idx = i;
       MediaSession session =
           sessionTestRule.ensureReleaseAfterTest(
               new MediaSession.Builder(context, player).setId(TAG).build());
       CountDownLatch latch = new CountDownLatch(1);
+      // Keep the instance in AtomicReference to prevent GC.
+      // Otherwise ListenableFuture and corresponding controllers can be GCed and disconnected
+      // callback can be ignored.
+      AtomicReference<ListenableFuture<MediaController>> controllerFutureRef =
+          new AtomicReference<>();
       mainHandler.post(
           () -> {
             ListenableFuture<MediaController> controllerFuture =
@@ -134,6 +139,7 @@ public class MediaSessionAndControllerTest {
                           }
                         })
                     .buildAsync();
+            controllerFutureRef.set(controllerFuture);
             controllerFuture.addListener(
                 () -> {
                   try {