diff --git a/android/src/main/java/com/brentvatne/react/ReactVideoView.java b/android/src/main/java/com/brentvatne/react/ReactVideoView.java
index 3e44bfbe..d47806bb 100644
--- a/android/src/main/java/com/brentvatne/react/ReactVideoView.java
+++ b/android/src/main/java/com/brentvatne/react/ReactVideoView.java
@@ -9,13 +9,14 @@ import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import com.facebook.react.bridge.Arguments;
 import com.facebook.react.bridge.WritableMap;
+import com.facebook.react.bridge.LifecycleEventListener;
 import com.facebook.react.uimanager.ThemedReactContext;
 import com.facebook.react.uimanager.events.RCTEventEmitter;
 import com.yqritc.scalablevideoview.ScalableType;
 import com.yqritc.scalablevideoview.ScalableVideoView;
 
 public class ReactVideoView extends ScalableVideoView implements MediaPlayer.OnPreparedListener, MediaPlayer
-        .OnErrorListener, MediaPlayer.OnBufferingUpdateListener, MediaPlayer.OnCompletionListener {
+        .OnErrorListener, MediaPlayer.OnBufferingUpdateListener, MediaPlayer.OnCompletionListener, LifecycleEventListener {
 
     public enum Events {
         EVENT_LOAD_START("onVideoLoadStart"),
@@ -69,6 +70,7 @@ public class ReactVideoView extends ScalableVideoView implements MediaPlayer.OnP
     private boolean mMuted = false;
     private float mVolume = 1.0f;
     private float mRate = 1.0f;
+    private boolean mPlayInBackground = false;
 
     private boolean mMediaPlayerValid = false; // True if mMediaPlayer is in prepared, started, or paused state.
     private int mVideoDuration = 0;
@@ -79,6 +81,7 @@ public class ReactVideoView extends ScalableVideoView implements MediaPlayer.OnP
 
         mThemedReactContext = themedReactContext;
         mEventEmitter = themedReactContext.getJSModule(RCTEventEmitter.class);
+        themedReactContext.addLifecycleEventListener(this);
 
         initializeMediaPlayerIfNeeded();
         setSurfaceTextureListener(this);
@@ -244,6 +247,10 @@ public class ReactVideoView extends ScalableVideoView implements MediaPlayer.OnP
 //        setRateModifier(mRate);
     }
 
+    public void setPlayInBackground(final boolean playInBackground) {
+        mPlayInBackground = playInBackground;
+    }
+
     @Override
     public void onPrepared(MediaPlayer mp) {
         mMediaPlayerValid = true;
@@ -311,4 +318,19 @@ public class ReactVideoView extends ScalableVideoView implements MediaPlayer.OnP
         super.onAttachedToWindow();
         setSrc(mSrcUriString, mSrcType, mSrcIsNetwork, mSrcIsAsset);
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public void onHostPause() {
+        if (mMediaPlayer != null && !mPlayInBackground) {
+            mMediaPlayer.pause();
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Override 
+    public void onHostResume() {
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void onHostDestroy() {
+    }
 }
diff --git a/android/src/main/java/com/brentvatne/react/ReactVideoViewManager.java b/android/src/main/java/com/brentvatne/react/ReactVideoViewManager.java
index 6439f757..5585adf0 100644
--- a/android/src/main/java/com/brentvatne/react/ReactVideoViewManager.java
+++ b/android/src/main/java/com/brentvatne/react/ReactVideoViewManager.java
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ public class ReactVideoViewManager extends SimpleViewManager<ReactVideoView> {
     public static final String PROP_VOLUME = "volume";
     public static final String PROP_SEEK = "seek";
     public static final String PROP_RATE = "rate";
+    public static final String PROP_PLAY_IN_BACKGROUND = "playInBackground";
 
     @Override
     public String getName() {
@@ -106,4 +107,9 @@ public class ReactVideoViewManager extends SimpleViewManager<ReactVideoView> {
     public void setRate(final ReactVideoView videoView, final float rate) {
         videoView.setRateModifier(rate);
     }
+
+    @ReactProp(name = PROP_PLAY_IN_BACKGROUND, defaultBoolean = false)
+    public void setPlayInBackground(final ReactVideoView videoView, final boolean playInBackground) {
+        videoView.setPlayInBackground(playInBackground);
+    }
 }