diff --git a/plugin.video.invidious/addon.xml b/plugin.video.invidious/addon.xml
index c2e276ab7..94dac5616 100644
--- a/plugin.video.invidious/addon.xml
+++ b/plugin.video.invidious/addon.xml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 <addon id="plugin.video.invidious"
   name="Invidious"
-  version="0.2.7+nexus.0"
+  version="0.2.8+nexus.0"
   provider-name="petterreinholdtsen">
     <requires>
         <import addon="xbmc.python" version="3.0.0"/>
diff --git a/plugin.video.invidious/resources/lib/invidious_api.py b/plugin.video.invidious/resources/lib/invidious_api.py
index 374f3ecbc..185985c77 100644
--- a/plugin.video.invidious/resources/lib/invidious_api.py
+++ b/plugin.video.invidious/resources/lib/invidious_api.py
@@ -69,25 +69,13 @@ def make_get_request(self, *path, **params):
 
         if response.status_code > 300:
             xbmc.log(f'invidious API request {assembled_url} with {params} failed with HTTP status {response.status_code}: {response.reason}.', xbmc.LOGWARNING)
-            dialog = xbmcgui.Dialog()
-            msg = self.addon.getLocalizedString(30014).format(
-                request_url=assembled_url,
-                request_params=params,
-                status_code=response.status_code,
-                status_reason=response.reason,
-            )
-            dialog.notification(
-                self.addon.getLocalizedString(30011),
-                msg,
-                "error"
-            )
             return None
 
         return response
 
     def parse_response(self, response):
         if not response:
-            return
+            return None
         data = response.json()
 
         # If a channel or playlist is opened, the videos are packaged
@@ -165,10 +153,9 @@ def search(self, *terms):
 
     def fetch_video_information(self, video_id):
         response = self.make_get_request("videos/", video_id)
-
-        data = response.json()
-
-        return data
+        if not response:
+            return None
+        return response.json()
 
     def fetch_channel_list(self, channel_id):
         response = self.make_get_request(f"channels/videos/{channel_id}")
diff --git a/plugin.video.invidious/resources/lib/invidious_plugin.py b/plugin.video.invidious/resources/lib/invidious_plugin.py
index 077758abf..a90041c77 100644
--- a/plugin.video.invidious/resources/lib/invidious_plugin.py
+++ b/plugin.video.invidious/resources/lib/invidious_plugin.py
@@ -91,10 +91,17 @@ def instance_autodetect(self):
             if 'https' == instance['type']:
                 instance_url = instance['uri']
                 # Make sure the instance work for us.  This test avoid
-                # those rejecting us with HTTP status 429.
+                # those rejecting us with HTTP status 429.  Some
+                # instances return a sensible value for the special
+                # lists but not for an individual video, so test with
+                # a fairly randomly picked video id to avoid partly
+                # working instances.
+                test_video_id = '1l2_uCyBXQ0'
                 api_client = invidious_api.InvidiousAPIClient(instance_url)
-                if api_client.fetch_special_list(self.SPECIAL_LISTS[0]):
+                if api_client.fetch_video_information(test_video_id):
                     return instance_url
+                else:
+                    xbmc.log(f'rejecting non-working instance {instanceinfo}', xbmc.LOGDEBUG)
 
         xbmc.log('invidious no working https type instance returned from api.invidious.io.', xbmc.LOGWARNING)
         # FIXME figure out how to show failing autodetection to the user.