diff --git a/ui/component/viewers/videoViewer/index.js b/ui/component/viewers/videoViewer/index.js
index d9b6ddce1..e0c409379 100644
--- a/ui/component/viewers/videoViewer/index.js
+++ b/ui/component/viewers/videoViewer/index.js
@@ -30,9 +30,11 @@ const select = (state, props) => {
   const urlParams = new URLSearchParams(search);
   const autoplay = urlParams.get('autoplay');
   const uri = props.uri;
+
   // TODO: eventually this should be received from DB and not local state (https://github.com/lbryio/lbry-desktop/issues/6796)
   const position = urlParams.get('t') !== null ? urlParams.get('t') : makeSelectContentPositionForUri(uri)(state);
   const userId = selectUser(state) && selectUser(state).id;
+  const internalFeature = selectUser(state) && selectUser(state).internal_feature;
   const playingUri = selectPlayingUri(state);
   const collectionId = urlParams.get(COLLECTIONS_CONSTS.COLLECTION_ID) || (playingUri && playingUri.collectionId);
   const isMarkdownOrComment = playingUri && (playingUri.source === 'markdown' || playingUri.source === 'comment');
@@ -50,6 +52,7 @@ const select = (state, props) => {
   return {
     position,
     userId,
+    internalFeature,
     collectionId,
     nextRecommendedUri,
     previousListUri,
diff --git a/ui/component/viewers/videoViewer/internal/videojs.jsx b/ui/component/viewers/videoViewer/internal/videojs.jsx
index 59b7f6715..cfc4256d6 100644
--- a/ui/component/viewers/videoViewer/internal/videojs.jsx
+++ b/ui/component/viewers/videoViewer/internal/videojs.jsx
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ type Props = {
   adUrl: ?string,
   claimId: ?string,
   userId: ?number,
-  // allowPreRoll: ?boolean,
+  allowPreRoll: ?boolean,
+  internalFeatureEnabled: ?boolean,
   shareTelemetry: boolean,
   replay: boolean,
   videoTheaterMode: boolean,
@@ -193,6 +194,7 @@ export default React.memo<Props>(function VideoJs(props: Props) {
     claimId,
     userId,
     allowPreRoll,
+    internalFeatureEnabled,
     shareTelemetry,
     replay,
     videoTheaterMode,
@@ -553,11 +555,14 @@ export default React.memo<Props>(function VideoJs(props: Props) {
       // this seems like a weird thing to have to check for here
       if (!player) return;
 
-      if (allowPreRoll && hitsTwentyPercent()) {
+      // always have ads on if internal feature is on,
+      // otherwise if not authed, roll for 20% to see an ad
+      const shouldShowAnAd = internalFeatureEnabled || (allowPreRoll && hitsTwentyPercent());
+
+      if (shouldShowAnAd) {
         vjs.aniview();
       }
 
-
       // Add various event listeners to player
       player.one('play', onInitialPlay);
       player.on('play', resolveCtrlText);
diff --git a/ui/component/viewers/videoViewer/view.jsx b/ui/component/viewers/videoViewer/view.jsx
index 21efebeb5..1043c2835 100644
--- a/ui/component/viewers/videoViewer/view.jsx
+++ b/ui/component/viewers/videoViewer/view.jsx
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ type Props = {
   setVideoPlaybackRate: (number) => void,
   authenticated: boolean,
   userId: number,
+  internalFeature: boolean,
   homepageData?: { [string]: HomepageCat },
   shareTelemetry: boolean,
   isFloating: boolean,
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@ function VideoViewer(props: Props) {
     homepageData,
     authenticated,
     userId,
+    internalFeature,
     shareTelemetry,
     isFloating,
     doPlayUri,
@@ -467,7 +469,8 @@ function VideoViewer(props: Props) {
         autoplaySetting={autoplayNext}
         claimId={claimId}
         userId={userId}
-        allowPreRoll={!authenticated}
+        allowPreRoll={!authenticated} // used to not include embeds, removed for now
+        internalFeatureEnabled={internalFeature}
         shareTelemetry={shareTelemetry}
         replay={replay}
         videoTheaterMode={videoTheaterMode}