diff --git a/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/SimpleExoPlayer.java b/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/SimpleExoPlayer.java
index f799df2c5d..173078dad7 100644
--- a/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/SimpleExoPlayer.java
+++ b/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/SimpleExoPlayer.java
@@ -239,6 +239,18 @@ public class SimpleExoPlayer implements ExoPlayer {
     setVideoSurfaceInternal(surface, false);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Clears the {@link Surface} onto which video is being rendered if it matches the one passed.
+   * Else does nothing.
+   *
+   * @param surface The surface to clear.
+   */
+  public void clearVideoSurface(Surface surface) {
+    if (surface != null && surface == this.surface) {
+      setVideoSurface(null);
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Sets the {@link SurfaceHolder} that holds the {@link Surface} onto which video will be
    * rendered. The player will track the lifecycle of the surface automatically.
@@ -256,6 +268,18 @@ public class SimpleExoPlayer implements ExoPlayer {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Clears the {@link SurfaceHolder} that holds the {@link Surface} onto which video is being
+   * rendered if it matches the one passed. Else does nothing.
+   *
+   * @param surfaceHolder The surface holder to clear.
+   */
+  public void clearVideoSurfaceHolder(SurfaceHolder surfaceHolder) {
+    if (surfaceHolder != null && surfaceHolder == this.surfaceHolder) {
+      setVideoSurfaceHolder(null);
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Sets the {@link SurfaceView} onto which video will be rendered. The player will track the
    * lifecycle of the surface automatically.
@@ -263,7 +287,17 @@ public class SimpleExoPlayer implements ExoPlayer {
    * @param surfaceView The surface view.
    */
   public void setVideoSurfaceView(SurfaceView surfaceView) {
-    setVideoSurfaceHolder(surfaceView.getHolder());
+    setVideoSurfaceHolder(surfaceView == null ? null : surfaceView.getHolder());
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Clears the {@link SurfaceView} onto which video is being rendered if it matches the one passed.
+   * Else does nothing.
+   *
+   * @param surfaceView The texture view to clear.
+   */
+  public void clearVideoSurfaceView(SurfaceView surfaceView) {
+    clearVideoSurfaceHolder(surfaceView == null ? null : surfaceView.getHolder());
   }
 
   /**
@@ -287,6 +321,18 @@ public class SimpleExoPlayer implements ExoPlayer {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Clears the {@link TextureView} onto which video is being rendered if it matches the one passed.
+   * Else does nothing.
+   *
+   * @param textureView The texture view to clear.
+   */
+  public void clearVideoTextureView(TextureView textureView) {
+    if (textureView != null && textureView == this.textureView) {
+      setVideoTextureView(null);
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Sets the stream type for audio playback (see {@link C.StreamType} and
    * {@link android.media.AudioTrack#AudioTrack(int, int, int, int, int, int)}). If the stream type
@@ -404,6 +450,57 @@ public class SimpleExoPlayer implements ExoPlayer {
     videoListener = listener;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Clears the listener receiving video events if it matches the one passed. Else does nothing.
+   *
+   * @param listener The listener to clear.
+   */
+  public void clearVideoListener(VideoListener listener) {
+    if (videoListener == listener) {
+      videoListener = null;
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Sets an output to receive text events.
+   *
+   * @param output The output.
+   */
+  public void setTextOutput(TextRenderer.Output output) {
+    textOutput = output;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Clears the output receiving text events if it matches the one passed. Else does nothing.
+   *
+   * @param output The output to clear.
+   */
+  public void clearTextOutput(TextRenderer.Output output) {
+    if (textOutput == output) {
+      textOutput = null;
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Sets a listener to receive metadata events.
+   *
+   * @param output The output.
+   */
+  public void setMetadataOutput(MetadataRenderer.Output output) {
+    metadataOutput = output;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Clears the output receiving metadata events if it matches the one passed. Else does nothing.
+   *
+   * @param output The output to clear.
+   */
+  public void clearMetadataOutput(MetadataRenderer.Output output) {
+    if (metadataOutput == output) {
+      metadataOutput = null;
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Sets a listener to receive debug events from the video renderer.
    *
@@ -422,24 +519,6 @@ public class SimpleExoPlayer implements ExoPlayer {
     audioDebugListener = listener;
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Sets an output to receive text events.
-   *
-   * @param output The output.
-   */
-  public void setTextOutput(TextRenderer.Output output) {
-    textOutput = output;
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Sets a listener to receive metadata events.
-   *
-   * @param output The output.
-   */
-  public void setMetadataOutput(MetadataRenderer.Output output) {
-    metadataOutput = output;
-  }
-
   // ExoPlayer implementation
 
   @Override
diff --git a/library/ui/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ui/SimpleExoPlayerView.java b/library/ui/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ui/SimpleExoPlayerView.java
index bb47226c42..fce05f5bc4 100644
--- a/library/ui/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ui/SimpleExoPlayerView.java
+++ b/library/ui/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ui/SimpleExoPlayerView.java
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ import android.content.res.Resources;
 import android.content.res.TypedArray;
 import android.graphics.Bitmap;
 import android.graphics.BitmapFactory;
+import android.support.annotation.NonNull;
+import android.support.annotation.Nullable;
 import android.util.AttributeSet;
 import android.view.KeyEvent;
 import android.view.LayoutInflater;
@@ -319,6 +321,30 @@ public final class SimpleExoPlayerView extends FrameLayout {
     hideController();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Switches the view targeted by a given {@link SimpleExoPlayer}.
+   *
+   * @param player The player whose target view is being switched.
+   * @param oldPlayerView The old view to detach from the player.
+   * @param newPlayerView The new view to attach to the player.
+   */
+  public static void switchTargetView(@NonNull SimpleExoPlayer player,
+      @Nullable SimpleExoPlayerView oldPlayerView, @Nullable SimpleExoPlayerView newPlayerView) {
+    if (oldPlayerView == newPlayerView) {
+      return;
+    }
+    // We attach the new view before detaching the old one because this ordering allows the player
+    // to swap directly from one surface to another, without transitioning through a state where no
+    // surface is attached. This is significantly more efficient and achieves a more seamless
+    // transition when using platform provided video decoders.
+    if (newPlayerView != null) {
+      newPlayerView.setPlayer(player);
+    }
+    if (oldPlayerView != null) {
+      oldPlayerView.setPlayer(null);
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Returns the player currently set on this view, or null if no player is set.
    */
@@ -330,6 +356,12 @@ public final class SimpleExoPlayerView extends FrameLayout {
    * Set the {@link SimpleExoPlayer} to use. The {@link SimpleExoPlayer#setTextOutput} and
    * {@link SimpleExoPlayer#setVideoListener} method of the player will be called and previous
    * assignments are overridden.
+   * <p>
+   * To transition a {@link SimpleExoPlayer} from targeting one view to another, it's recommended to
+   * use {@link #switchTargetView(SimpleExoPlayer, SimpleExoPlayerView, SimpleExoPlayerView)} rather
+   * than this method. If you do wish to use this method directly, be sure to attach the player to
+   * the new view <em>before</em> calling {@code setPlayer(null)} to detach it from the old one.
+   * This ordering is significantly more efficient and may allow for more seamless transitions.
    *
    * @param player The {@link SimpleExoPlayer} to use.
    */
@@ -338,10 +370,14 @@ public final class SimpleExoPlayerView extends FrameLayout {
       return;
     }
     if (this.player != null) {
-      this.player.setTextOutput(null);
-      this.player.setVideoListener(null);
       this.player.removeListener(componentListener);
-      this.player.setVideoSurface(null);
+      this.player.clearTextOutput(componentListener);
+      this.player.clearVideoListener(componentListener);
+      if (surfaceView instanceof TextureView) {
+        this.player.clearVideoTextureView((TextureView) surfaceView);
+      } else if (surfaceView instanceof SurfaceView) {
+        this.player.clearVideoSurfaceView((SurfaceView) surfaceView);
+      }
     }
     this.player = player;
     if (useController) {
@@ -357,8 +393,8 @@ public final class SimpleExoPlayerView extends FrameLayout {
         player.setVideoSurfaceView((SurfaceView) surfaceView);
       }
       player.setVideoListener(componentListener);
-      player.addListener(componentListener);
       player.setTextOutput(componentListener);
+      player.addListener(componentListener);
       maybeShowController(false);
       updateForCurrentTrackSelections();
     } else {