diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5281091f..87b96fe7 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@
 A GNOME media player built using [GJS](https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gjs) and powered by [GStreamer](https://gstreamer.freedesktop.org) with [OpenGL](https://www.opengl.org) rendering. Can also be used as a pre-made widget for [GTK](https://www.gtk.org) apps.
 
 ### WORK IN PROGRESS
-This is still early WIP. Many features are not implemented yet and quite a few are still unstable. Right now Clapper can only play single file from URI. So if you want to test it, start it from terminal like this:
+This is still early WIP. Many features are not implemented yet and quite a few are still unstable. Right now Clapper can only play single file. So if you want to test it, start it from terminal like this:
 ```shell
-clapper file:///path/to/video.mkv
+clapper video.mp4
 ```
 ## Requirements
 Clapper uses `GStreamer` bindings from `GI` repository, so if your repo ships them as separate package, they must be installed first.
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ On some older GPUs you might need to export `GST_VAAPI_ALL_DRIVERS=1` environmen
 Other acceleration methods (supported by `GStreamer`) should also work, but I have not tested them due to lack of hardware.
 
 ## Performace Comparison
-Here is the average **CPU** and **RAM** usage (lower is better) when playing the same H.264 1080p video in Clapper and [Totem](https://wiki.gnome.org/Apps/Videos) (GNOME Videos) with **VA-API enabled** on an old AMD APU:
+Here is the average **CPU** and **RAM** usage (lower is better) when playing the same H.264 1080p video in Clapper and [Totem](https://wiki.gnome.org/Apps/Videos) (GNOME Videos) with **VA-API available** on an old AMD APU:
 
 | Player  | CPU |  RAM  |
 | ------- | --- | ----- |
diff --git a/clapper_src/app.js b/clapper_src/app.js
index 57544e70..e82913d7 100644
--- a/clapper_src/app.js
+++ b/clapper_src/app.js
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ var App = GObject.registerClass({
          if(!this.playlist.length)
             return;
 
-         this.player.set_uri(this.playlist[0]);
+         this.player.set_media(this.playlist[0]);
     }
 
     _onPlayerStateChanged(self, state)
diff --git a/clapper_src/player.js b/clapper_src/player.js
index b9f63cb5..8c364afd 100644
--- a/clapper_src/player.js
+++ b/clapper_src/player.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-const { GLib, GObject, Gst, GstPlayer } = imports.gi;
+const { Gio, GLib, GObject, Gst, GstPlayer } = imports.gi;
 const Debug = imports.clapper_src.debug;
 
 const GSTPLAYER_DEFAULTS = {
@@ -62,6 +62,27 @@ class ClapperPlayer extends GstPlayer.Player
         this.widget.connect('destroy', this._onWidgetDestroy.bind(this));
     }
 
+    set_media(source)
+    {
+        if(Gst.uri_is_valid(source)) {
+            debug(`setting source URI: ${source}`);
+            return this.set_uri(source);
+        }
+
+        debug(`parsing source: ${source}`);
+        let uri = Gst.filename_to_uri(source);
+
+        if(!uri)
+            return debug('parsing to URI failed');
+
+        debug(`parsed source to URI: ${uri}`);
+
+        if(!Gio.file_new_for_uri(uri).query_exists(null))
+            return debug(`file does not exist: ${source}`, 'LEVEL_WARNING');
+
+        this.set_uri(uri);
+    }
+
     seek_seconds(position)
     {
         this.seek(position * 1000000000);