diff --git a/client/components/app/StreamContainer.vue b/client/components/app/StreamContainer.vue
index bc215dfe..b0b2d2c9 100644
--- a/client/components/app/StreamContainer.vue
+++ b/client/components/app/StreamContainer.vue
@@ -194,6 +194,13 @@ export default {
         console.error('No Audio Ref')
       }
     },
+    streamError(streamId) {
+      if (this.stream && (this.stream.id === streamId || streamId === 'n/a')) {
+        this.terminateStream()
+        this.$store.commit('clearStreamAudiobook', this.stream.audiobook.id)
+        this.stream = null
+      }
+    },
     sendStreamSync(syncData) {
       var diff = syncData.currentTime - this.lastServerUpdateSentSeconds
       if (Math.abs(diff) < 1 && !syncData.timeListened) {
diff --git a/client/layouts/default.vue b/client/layouts/default.vue
index 4fb65785..25d6b23e 100644
--- a/client/layouts/default.vue
+++ b/client/layouts/default.vue
@@ -134,6 +134,10 @@ export default {
     streamReset(payload) {
       if (this.$refs.streamContainer) this.$refs.streamContainer.streamReset(payload)
     },
+    streamError({ id, errorMessage }) {
+      this.$toast.error(`Stream Failed: ${errorMessage}`)
+      if (this.$refs.streamContainer) this.$refs.streamContainer.streamError(id)
+    },
     audiobookAdded(audiobook) {
       this.$store.commit('audiobooks/addUpdate', audiobook)
     },
@@ -327,6 +331,7 @@ export default {
       this.socket.on('stream_progress', this.streamProgress)
       this.socket.on('stream_ready', this.streamReady)
       this.socket.on('stream_reset', this.streamReset)
+      this.socket.on('stream_error', this.streamError)
 
       // Audiobook Listeners
       this.socket.on('audiobook_updated', this.audiobookUpdated)
diff --git a/client/package.json b/client/package.json
index 693a63cb..e27991bc 100644
--- a/client/package.json
+++ b/client/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "audiobookshelf-client",
-  "version": "1.6.16",
+  "version": "1.6.17",
   "description": "Audiobook manager and player",
   "main": "index.js",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index cf3b49b4..439c7e09 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "audiobookshelf",
-  "version": "1.6.16",
+  "version": "1.6.17",
   "description": "Self-hosted audiobook server for managing and playing audiobooks",
   "main": "index.js",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/server/StreamManager.js b/server/StreamManager.js
index 554cfdee..29537fbe 100644
--- a/server/StreamManager.js
+++ b/server/StreamManager.js
@@ -28,8 +28,12 @@ class StreamManager {
     this.streams = this.streams.filter(s => s.id !== stream.id)
   }
 
-  async openStream(client, audiobook) {
-    var stream = new Stream(this.StreamsPath, client, audiobook)
+  async openStream(client, audiobook, transcodeOptions = {}) {
+    if (!client || !client.user) {
+      Logger.error('[StreamManager] Cannot open stream invalid client', client)
+      return
+    }
+    var stream = new Stream(this.StreamsPath, client, audiobook, transcodeOptions)
 
     stream.on('closed', () => {
       this.removeStream(stream)
diff --git a/server/objects/Stream.js b/server/objects/Stream.js
index be2f4a30..b4a71583 100644
--- a/server/objects/Stream.js
+++ b/server/objects/Stream.js
@@ -10,13 +10,15 @@ const hlsPlaylistGenerator = require('../utils/hlsPlaylistGenerator')
 const UserListeningSession = require('./UserListeningSession')
 
 class Stream extends EventEmitter {
-  constructor(streamPath, client, audiobook) {
+  constructor(streamPath, client, audiobook, transcodeOptions = {}) {
     super()
 
     this.id = (Date.now() + Math.trunc(Math.random() * 1000)).toString(36)
     this.client = client
     this.audiobook = audiobook
 
+    this.transcodeOptions = transcodeOptions
+
     this.segmentLength = 6
     this.maxSeekBackTime = 30
     this.streamPath = Path.join(streamPath, this.id)
@@ -110,6 +112,14 @@ class Stream extends EventEmitter {
     return Number(prog.toFixed(3))
   }
 
+  get isAACEncodable() {
+    return ['mp4', 'm4a', 'm4b'].includes(this.tracksAudioFileType)
+  }
+
+  get transcodeForceAAC() {
+    return !!this.transcodeOptions.forceAAC
+  }
+
   toJSON() {
     return {
       id: this.id,
@@ -314,8 +324,8 @@ class Stream extends EventEmitter {
       this.ffmpeg.inputOption('-noaccurate_seek')
     }
 
-    const logLevel = process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production' ? 'error' : 'error'
-    const audioCodec = (this.hlsSegmentType === 'fmp4' || this.tracksAudioFileType === 'opus') ? 'aac' : 'copy'
+    const logLevel = process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production' ? 'error' : 'warning'
+    const audioCodec = (this.hlsSegmentType === 'fmp4' || this.tracksAudioFileType === 'opus' || this.transcodeForceAAC) ? 'aac' : 'copy'
     this.ffmpeg.addOption([
       `-loglevel ${logLevel}`,
       '-map 0:a',
@@ -349,11 +359,13 @@ class Stream extends EventEmitter {
       Logger.info('[INFO] FFMPEG transcoding started with command: ' + command)
       Logger.info('')
       if (this.isResetting) {
+        // AAC encode is much slower
+        const clearIsResettingTime = this.transcodeForceAAC ? 3000 : 500
         setTimeout(() => {
           Logger.info('[STREAM] Clearing isResetting')
           this.isResetting = false
           this.startLoop()
-        }, 500)
+        }, clearIsResettingTime)
       } else {
         this.startLoop()
       }
@@ -368,10 +380,21 @@ class Stream extends EventEmitter {
         // This is an intentional SIGKILL
         Logger.info('[FFMPEG] Transcode Killed')
         this.ffmpeg = null
+        clearInterval(this.loop)
       } else {
-        Logger.error('Ffmpeg Err', err.message)
+        Logger.error('Ffmpeg Err', '"' + err.message + '"')
+
+        // Temporary workaround for https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf/issues/172
+        const aacErrorMsg = 'ffmpeg exited with code 1: Could not write header for output file #0 (incorrect codec parameters ?)'
+        if (audioCodec === 'copy' && this.isAACEncodable && err.message && err.message.startsWith(aacErrorMsg)) {
+          Logger.info(`[Stream] Re-attempting stream with AAC encode`)
+          this.transcodeOptions.forceAAC = true
+          this.reset(this.startTime)
+        } else {
+          // Close stream show error
+          this.close(err.message)
+        }
       }
-      clearInterval(this.loop)
     })
 
     this.ffmpeg.on('end', (stdout, stderr) => {
@@ -392,7 +415,7 @@ class Stream extends EventEmitter {
     this.ffmpeg.run()
   }
 
-  async close() {
+  async close(errorMessage = null) {
     clearInterval(this.loop)
 
     Logger.info('Closing Stream', this.id)
@@ -407,7 +430,8 @@ class Stream extends EventEmitter {
     })
 
     if (this.socket) {
-      this.socket.emit('stream_closed', this.id)
+      if (errorMessage) this.socket.emit('stream_error', { id: this.id, error: (errorMessage || '').trim() })
+      else this.socket.emit('stream_closed', this.id)
     }
 
     this.emit('closed')