diff --git a/web/src/components/player/JSMpegPlayer.tsx b/web/src/components/player/JSMpegPlayer.tsx
index fd2a5382a..dc21d7d27 100644
--- a/web/src/components/player/JSMpegPlayer.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/player/JSMpegPlayer.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import { baseUrl } from "@/api/baseUrl";
 import { useResizeObserver } from "@/hooks/resize-observer";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 // @ts-expect-error we know this doesn't have types
 import JSMpeg from "@cycjimmy/jsmpeg-player";
-import React, { useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useId } from "react";
+import React, { useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useId, useState } from "react";
 
 type JSMpegPlayerProps = {
   className?: string;
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ export default function JSMpegPlayer({
   const videoRef = useRef(null);
   const internalContainerRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
   const onPlayingRef = useRef(onPlaying);
+  const [showCanvas, setShowCanvas] = useState(false);
 
   const selectedContainerRef = useMemo(
     () => containerRef ?? internalContainerRef,
@@ -101,6 +103,7 @@ export default function JSMpegPlayer({
         audio: false,
         videoBufferSize: 1024 * 1024 * 4,
         onPlay: () => {
+          setShowCanvas(true);
           onPlayingRef.current?.();
         },
       },
@@ -110,7 +113,7 @@ export default function JSMpegPlayer({
   return (
     <div className={className}>
       <div className="size-full" ref={internalContainerRef}>
-        <div ref={playerRef} className="jsmpeg">
+        <div ref={playerRef} className={cn("jsmpeg", !showCanvas && "hidden")}>
           <canvas
             id={uniqueId}
             style={{
diff --git a/web/src/components/player/LivePlayer.tsx b/web/src/components/player/LivePlayer.tsx
index 9c14a7ea1..9ac2baa39 100644
--- a/web/src/components/player/LivePlayer.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/player/LivePlayer.tsx
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import { getIconForLabel } from "@/utils/iconUtil";
 import Chip from "../indicators/Chip";
 import { capitalizeFirstLetter } from "@/utils/stringUtil";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+import { TbExclamationCircle } from "react-icons/tb";
 
 type LivePlayerProps = {
   cameraRef?: (ref: HTMLDivElement | null) => void;
@@ -275,6 +276,16 @@ export default function LivePlayer({
         />
       </div>
 
+      {offline && !showStillWithoutActivity && (
+        <div className="flex size-full flex-col items-center">
+          <p className="mb-5">
+            {capitalizeFirstLetter(cameraConfig.name)} is offline
+          </p>
+          <TbExclamationCircle className="mb-3 size-10" />
+          <p>No frames have been received, check error logs</p>
+        </div>
+      )}
+
       <div className="absolute right-2 top-2">
         {autoLive &&
           !offline &&
@@ -282,7 +293,7 @@ export default function LivePlayer({
           ((showStillWithoutActivity && !liveReady) || liveReady) && (
             <MdCircle className="mr-2 size-2 animate-pulse text-danger shadow-danger drop-shadow-md" />
           )}
-        {offline && (
+        {offline && showStillWithoutActivity && (
           <Chip
             className={`z-0 flex items-start justify-between space-x-1 bg-gray-500 bg-gradient-to-br from-gray-400 to-gray-500 text-xs capitalize`}
           >
diff --git a/web/src/pages/Live.tsx b/web/src/pages/Live.tsx
index 5cee2c6ca..fc2a2bf8f 100644
--- a/web/src/pages/Live.tsx
+++ b/web/src/pages/Live.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { useFullscreen } from "@/hooks/use-fullscreen";
 import {
   useHashState,
   usePersistedOverlayState,
+  useSearchEffect,
 } from "@/hooks/use-overlay-state";
 import { FrigateConfig } from "@/types/frigateConfig";
 import LiveBirdseyeView from "@/views/live/LiveBirdseyeView";
@@ -16,11 +17,21 @@ function Live() {
   // selection
 
   const [selectedCameraName, setSelectedCameraName] = useHashState();
-  const [cameraGroup] = usePersistedOverlayState(
+  const [cameraGroup, setCameraGroup] = usePersistedOverlayState(
     "cameraGroup",
     "default" as string,
   );
 
+  useSearchEffect("group", (cameraGroup) => {
+    if (config && cameraGroup) {
+      const group = config.camera_groups[cameraGroup];
+
+      if (group) {
+        setCameraGroup(cameraGroup);
+      }
+    }
+  });
+
   // fullscreen
 
   const mainRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);