diff --git a/cfgov/unprocessed/js/organisms/VideoPlayer.js b/cfgov/unprocessed/js/organisms/VideoPlayer.js
index 6c439e2cd8e..690f76aa2c0 100644
--- a/cfgov/unprocessed/js/organisms/VideoPlayer.js
+++ b/cfgov/unprocessed/js/organisms/VideoPlayer.js
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ function VideoPlayer( element ) {
       return UNDEFINED;
     }
 
-    // Load a default thumbnail image if we're not using a custom one.
+    // Load the thumbnail from YouTube if we haven't specified one in the DOM.
     if ( _videoId && !_showCustomThumbnail ) {
       _imageLoad( youTubeAPI.fetchImageURL( _videoId ) );
     }
@@ -134,11 +134,23 @@ function VideoPlayer( element ) {
    */
   function _imageLoad( imageURL ) {
     _imageDom.addEventListener( 'load', _imageLoaded );
-    _imageDom.addEventListener( 'error', _imageLoadDefault );
+    _imageDom.addEventListener( 'error', _imageLoadFailed );
 
     _imageDom.src = imageURL;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Error handler for thumbnail image loading.
+   * If for some reason we can't load the specified thumbnail image, we
+   * should try to load the default thumbnail. But don't do that if we've
+   * already tried and failed to do so once.
+   */
+  function _imageLoadFailed() {
+    if ( _imageDom.src === _defaultThumbnailURL ) {
+      _imageLoadDefault();
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Event handler for when image src attribute is set.
    */