# Loading the player before a live stream is ready (master manifest not valid)

**URL:** <https://community.bitmovin.com/t/loading-the-player-before-a-live-stream-is-ready-master-manifest-not-valid/253>\
**Category:** Support\
**Tags:** bitmovin-player\
**Created:** [March 2, 2022, 12:19pm UTC](https://community.bitmovin.com/t/loading-the-player-before-a-live-stream-is-ready-master-manifest-not-valid/253 "2022-03-02T12:19:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![callum.amor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@callum.amor](https://community.bitmovin.com/u/callum.amor)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2022, 12:19pm UTC](https://community.bitmovin.com/t/loading-the-player-before-a-live-stream-is-ready-master-manifest-not-valid/253/1 "2022-03-02T12:19:22Z")

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I have a use-case where a player may be loaded on a page before the master manifest is ready, I want the player to refrain from throwing the SOURCE\_COULD\_NOT\_LOAD\_MANIFEST error.

I’ve tried with autoplay off and preload disabled but the player throws the above error if the master manifest is not throwing a 200 response. Is it possible to stop the player from throwing this error until a user hits play?

Then if a user hits play, is it possible to indefinitely retry the master manifest until it is valid?

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**Author:** ![anon42741418](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47774/32.png) [@anon42741418](https://community.bitmovin.com/u/anon42741418)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2022, 8:00pm UTC](https://community.bitmovin.com/t/loading-the-player-before-a-live-stream-is-ready-master-manifest-not-valid/253/2 "2022-03-02T20:00:30Z")

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Hi, Callum. Thank you for reaching out to the Bitmovin Community.

I have a suggestion to handle this kind of workflow; my advice is to think about the User experience first. In this case, I would:

1. interject the player error,
2. cast it to check that it is a SOURCE\_COULD\_NOT\_LOAD\_MANIFEST
3. add an overlay image on the top of the player telling the user to come back later when the stream is ready - or - add a loop video with a timecode stating that the live stream is not prepared and inviting the user to come back later.

Here’s an example that shows the above workflow: [Edit fiddle - JSFiddle - Code Playground](https://jsfiddle.net/xd5gzhyb/3/)

Please let me know if you have any feedback/follow-up questions.  
Thanks!