diff --git a/packages/youtube-video-element/test/test.js b/packages/youtube-video-element/test/test.js
index c0fc1e0..3ae8f9f 100644
--- a/packages/youtube-video-element/test/test.js
+++ b/packages/youtube-video-element/test/test.js
@@ -250,6 +250,48 @@ test('t parameter - case insensitive', async function (t) {
   t.equal(startParam, '171', 'start parameter is set from uppercase T parameter');
 });
 
+test('destroys the player when disconnected', async function (t) {
+  const video = await createVideoElement();
+  await video.loadComplete;
+
+  t.ok(video.api, 'has a player once loaded');
+  t.ok(video.shadowRoot.querySelector('iframe'), 'has an iframe once loaded');
+
+  video.remove();
+
+  t.equal(video.api, null, 'the player reference is released on disconnect');
+  t.equal(video.isLoaded, false, 'the element is no longer marked loaded');
+  t.equal(
+    video.shadowRoot.querySelector('iframe'),
+    null,
+    'destroy() removed the iframe from the shadow root'
+  );
+});
+
+test('creates a new player when reconnected', async function (t) {
+  const video = await createVideoElement();
+  await video.loadComplete;
+
+  const firstApi = video.api;
+  video.remove();
+  document.body.append(video);
+
+  await video.loadComplete;
+
+  t.ok(video.api, 'has a player again after reconnecting');
+  t.ok(video.api !== firstApi, 'a new player was created, not the destroyed one');
+  t.ok(video.shadowRoot.querySelector('iframe'), 'the iframe was rebuilt');
+});
+
+test('disconnecting before the player is ready does not throw', async function (t) {
+  const video = await createVideoElement();
+  // Do not await loadComplete: the API may still be loading.
+  video.remove();
+
+  t.equal(video.api, null, 'no player is left behind');
+  t.ok(true, 'disconnecting mid-load did not throw');
+});
+
 function delay(ms) {
   return new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, ms));
 }
diff --git a/packages/youtube-video-element/youtube-video-element.js b/packages/youtube-video-element/youtube-video-element.js
index 75958db..b034f33 100644
--- a/packages/youtube-video-element/youtube-video-element.js
+++ b/packages/youtube-video-element/youtube-video-element.js
@@ -147,6 +147,9 @@ class YoutubeVideoElement extends MediaPlayedRangesMixin(globalThis.HTMLElement
   loadComplete = new PublicPromise();
   #loadRequested;
   #hasLoaded;
+  #wasDisconnected = false;
+  #loadId = 0;
+  #timers = [];
   #readyState = 0;
   #seeking = false;
   #seekComplete;
@@ -172,6 +175,12 @@ class YoutubeVideoElement extends MediaPlayedRangesMixin(globalThis.HTMLElement
   async load() {
     if (this.#loadRequested) return;
 
+    // Identifies this load attempt. `load()` awaits the API script, so the
+    // element can be disconnected (or asked to load again) while this one is
+    // still in flight; those bump #loadId and this attempt bails out below
+    // instead of attaching a player nothing will ever destroy.
+    const loadId = ++this.#loadId;
+
     if (!this.shadowRoot) {
       this.attachShadow({ mode: 'open' });
     }
@@ -193,12 +202,13 @@ class YoutubeVideoElement extends MediaPlayedRangesMixin(globalThis.HTMLElement
 
     let oldApi = this.api;
     this.api = null;
+    // A new player is always constructed below, so the previous one is never
+    // reused. Release it rather than just dropping the reference, otherwise it
+    // stays in the API's registries holding its (now discarded) iframe.
+    // Removes the <iframe> containing the player.
+    oldApi?.destroy();
 
-    if (!this.src) {
-      // Removes the <iframe> containing the player.
-      oldApi?.destroy();
-      return;
-    }
+    if (!this.src) return;
 
     this.#textTracksVideo = document.createElement('video');
     this.textTracks = this.#textTracksVideo.textTracks;
@@ -223,6 +233,10 @@ class YoutubeVideoElement extends MediaPlayedRangesMixin(globalThis.HTMLElement
     }
 
     const YT = await loadScript(API_URL, API_GLOBAL, API_GLOBAL_READY);
+
+    // Superseded by a disconnect or a newer load() while awaiting the API.
+    if (loadId !== this.#loadId) return;
+
     this.api = new YT.Player(iframe, {
       events: {
         onReady: () => {
@@ -328,8 +342,14 @@ class YoutubeVideoElement extends MediaPlayedRangesMixin(globalThis.HTMLElement
 
     await this.loadComplete;
 
+    // Superseded while awaiting loadComplete; don't start pollers for a player
+    // that is already gone.
+    if (loadId !== this.#loadId) return;
+
+    this.#clearTimers();
+
     let lastCurrentTime = 0;
-    setInterval(() => {
+    this.#timers.push(setInterval(() => {
       const diff = Math.abs(this.currentTime - lastCurrentTime);
       const bufferedEnd = this.buffered.end(this.buffered.length - 1);
       if (this.seeking && bufferedEnd > 0.1) {
@@ -341,7 +361,7 @@ class YoutubeVideoElement extends MediaPlayedRangesMixin(globalThis.HTMLElement
         this.dispatchEvent(new Event('seeking'));
       }
       lastCurrentTime = this.currentTime;
-    }, 50);
+    }, 50));
 
     let lastBufferedEnd;
     const progressInterval = setInterval(() => {
@@ -355,6 +375,40 @@ class YoutubeVideoElement extends MediaPlayedRangesMixin(globalThis.HTMLElement
         this.dispatchEvent(new Event('progress'));
       }
     }, 100);
+    this.#timers.push(progressInterval);
+  }
+
+  #clearTimers() {
+    for (const id of this.#timers) clearInterval(id);
+    this.#timers = [];
+  }
+
+  connectedCallback() {
+    // `load()` is only triggered by attributeChangedCallback, so an element that
+    // is moved in the DOM (disconnected and reconnected without its attributes
+    // changing) has to ask for a new player itself.
+    if (this.#wasDisconnected) {
+      this.#wasDisconnected = false;
+      this.load();
+    }
+    super.connectedCallback?.();
+  }
+
+  disconnectedCallback() {
+    this.#wasDisconnected = true;
+    this.#loadId++;
+    this.#clearTimers();
+    this.#loadRequested = null;
+    this.#hasLoaded = null;
+    this.isLoaded = false;
+    this.loadComplete = new PublicPromise();
+    // The YouTube iframe API holds a reference to every player it creates, so
+    // dropping the element is not enough to release the <iframe>: it stays
+    // detached but reachable from window.YT. destroy() removes the iframe and
+    // deregisters the player.
+    this.api?.destroy?.();
+    this.api = null;
+    super.disconnectedCallback?.();
   }
 
   async attributeChangedCallback(attrName, oldValue, newValue) {