diff --git a/music_assistant/providers/snapcast/constants.py b/music_assistant/providers/snapcast/constants.py
index 8c897c72..d89a0cd2 100644
--- a/music_assistant/providers/snapcast/constants.py
+++ b/music_assistant/providers/snapcast/constants.py
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@
 MASS_STREAM_PREFIX = "Music Assistant - "
 MASS_ANNOUNCEMENT_POSTFIX = " (announcement)"
 SNAPWEB_DIR = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.resolve().joinpath("snapweb")
-CONTROL_SCRIPT = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.resolve().joinpath("control.py")
+CONTROL_SCRIPT_DIR = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.resolve()
+CONTROL_SCRIPT = CONTROL_SCRIPT_DIR.joinpath("control.py")
 
 DEFAULT_SNAPCAST_FORMAT = AudioFormat(
     content_type=ContentType.PCM_S16LE,
diff --git a/music_assistant/providers/snapcast/provider.py b/music_assistant/providers/snapcast/provider.py
index 049fb934..316b6cf8 100644
--- a/music_assistant/providers/snapcast/provider.py
+++ b/music_assistant/providers/snapcast/provider.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
     CONF_STREAM_IDLE_THRESHOLD,
     CONF_USE_EXTERNAL_SERVER,
     CONTROL_SCRIPT,
+    CONTROL_SCRIPT_DIR,
     DEFAULT_SNAPSERVER_CONFIG_FILE,
     DEFAULT_SNAPSERVER_PLUGIN_DIR,
     DEFAULT_SNAPSERVER_PORT,
@@ -270,6 +271,10 @@ async def _builtin_server_runner(self) -> None:
 
         args = [
             "snapserver",
+            # defaults to /etc/snapcast.conf but needs
+            # to exist in order for snapserver to start
+            # https://github.com/badaix/snapcast/issues/1402
+            "--config=/dev/null",
             # config settings taken from
             # https://raw.githubusercontent.com/badaix/snapcast/86cd4b2b63e750a72e0dfe6a46d47caf01426c8d/server/etc/snapserver.conf
             f"--config={self._snapcast_server_config_file}",
@@ -286,8 +291,7 @@ async def _builtin_server_runner(self) -> None:
             f"--stream.send_to_muted={str(self._snapcast_server_send_to_muted).lower()}",
             f"--streaming_client.initial_volume={self._snapcast_server_initial_volume}",
         ]
-        loop = asyncio.get_running_loop()
-        plugin_dir = await loop.run_in_executor(None, self._setup_controlscript)
+        plugin_dir = CONTROL_SCRIPT_DIR
         if plugin_dir is not None:
             args.append(f"--stream.plugin_dir={plugin_dir}")
             self._controlscript_available = True