diff --git a/packages/video_player/ios/Classes/VideoPlayerPlugin.m b/packages/video_player/ios/Classes/VideoPlayerPlugin.m
index 868be6912334..b6788d148647 100644
--- a/packages/video_player/ios/Classes/VideoPlayerPlugin.m
+++ b/packages/video_player/ios/Classes/VideoPlayerPlugin.m
@@ -66,10 +66,14 @@ - (instancetype)initWithURL:(NSURL*)url
   _isPlaying = false;
   _disposed = false;
 
-  AVURLAsset* urlAsset = [AVURLAsset URLAssetWithURL:url
-                                             options:@{@"AVURLAssetHTTPHeaderFieldsKey" : headers}];
+  NSDictionary<NSString*, id>* options = nil;
+  if (headers != (NSDictionary<NSString*, NSString*>*)[NSNull null]) {
+    options = @{@"AVURLAssetHTTPHeaderFieldsKey" : headers};
+  }
+
+  AVURLAsset* asset = [AVURLAsset URLAssetWithURL:url options:options];
+  AVPlayerItem* item = [AVPlayerItem playerItemWithAsset:asset];
 
-  AVPlayerItem* item = [AVPlayerItem playerItemWithAsset:urlAsset];
   [item addObserver:self
          forKeyPath:@"loadedTimeRanges"
             options:NSKeyValueObservingOptionInitial | NSKeyValueObservingOptionNew
@@ -112,7 +116,6 @@ - (instancetype)initWithURL:(NSURL*)url
   };
   _videoOutput = [[AVPlayerItemVideoOutput alloc] initWithPixelBufferAttributes:pixBuffAttributes];
 
-  AVAsset* asset = [item asset];
   void (^assetCompletionHandler)(void) = ^{
     if ([asset statusOfValueForKey:@"tracks" error:nil] == AVKeyValueStatusLoaded) {
       NSArray* tracks = [asset tracksWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeVideo];
diff --git a/packages/video_player/lib/video_player.dart b/packages/video_player/lib/video_player.dart
index cdc71226ded9..be79e8475b34 100644
--- a/packages/video_player/lib/video_player.dart
+++ b/packages/video_player/lib/video_player.dart
@@ -154,8 +154,8 @@ class VideoPlayerController extends ValueNotifier<VideoPlayerValue> {
   /// the network.
   ///
   /// The URI for the video is given by the [dataSource] argument and must not be
-  /// null.
-  VideoPlayerController.network(this.dataSource)
+  /// null. The [httpHeaders] for the request to the [dataSource] is optional and may be null.
+  VideoPlayerController.network(this.dataSource, {this.httpHeaders})
       : dataSourceType = DataSourceType.network,
         package = null,
         super(VideoPlayerValue(duration: null));
@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@ class VideoPlayerController extends ValueNotifier<VideoPlayerValue> {
 
   int _textureId;
   final String dataSource;
+  Map<String, String> httpHeaders;
 
   /// Describes the type of data source this [VideoPlayerController]
   /// is constructed with.
@@ -183,7 +184,6 @@ class VideoPlayerController extends ValueNotifier<VideoPlayerValue> {
   Completer<void> _creatingCompleter;
   StreamSubscription<dynamic> _eventSubscription;
   _VideoAppLifeCycleObserver _lifeCycleObserver;
-  Map<String, String> httpHeaders;
 
   @visibleForTesting
   int get textureId => _textureId;