diff --git a/RELEASENOTES.md b/RELEASENOTES.md
index df2116a0de..e241858bef 100644
--- a/RELEASENOTES.md
+++ b/RELEASENOTES.md
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@
         action, as
         [documented](https://developer.android.com/reference/androidx/media3/session/MediaSession#media-key-events-mapping)
         ([#1493](https://github.com/androidx/media/issues/1493)).
+    *   Handle `KEYCODE_HEADSETHOOK` as a 'play' command in
+        `MediaButtonReceiver` when deciding whether to ignore it to avoid a
+        `ForegroundServiceDidNotStartInTimeException`
+        ([#1581](https://github.com/google/ExoPlayer/issues/1581)).
 *   UI:
 *   Downloads:
 *   OkHttp Extension:
diff --git a/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaButtonReceiver.java b/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaButtonReceiver.java
index 815e9c2898..e2ea6d89b5 100644
--- a/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaButtonReceiver.java
+++ b/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaButtonReceiver.java
@@ -123,7 +123,8 @@ public final void onReceive(Context context, @Nullable Intent intent) {
       KeyEvent keyEvent = checkNotNull(intent.getExtras()).getParcelable(Intent.EXTRA_KEY_EVENT);
       if (keyEvent != null
           && keyEvent.getKeyCode() != KeyEvent.KEYCODE_MEDIA_PLAY
-          && keyEvent.getKeyCode() != KeyEvent.KEYCODE_MEDIA_PLAY_PAUSE) {
+          && keyEvent.getKeyCode() != KeyEvent.KEYCODE_MEDIA_PLAY_PAUSE
+          && keyEvent.getKeyCode() != KeyEvent.KEYCODE_HEADSETHOOK) {
         // Starting with Android 8 (API 26), the service must be started immediately in the
         // foreground when being started. Also starting with Android 8, the system sends media
         // button intents to this receiver only when the session is released or not active, meaning