diff --git a/demos/session/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml b/demos/session/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
index f86bcd86bb..e94b527e83 100644
--- a/demos/session/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/demos/session/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 
     <service
         android:name=".PlaybackService"
+        android:foregroundServiceType="mediaPlayback"
         android:exported="true">
       <intent-filter>
         <action android:name="androidx.media3.session.MediaSessionService"/>
diff --git a/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaNotificationManager.java b/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaNotificationManager.java
index 6376ba641d..75c168f575 100644
--- a/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaNotificationManager.java
+++ b/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaNotificationManager.java
@@ -19,13 +19,17 @@ import static androidx.media3.common.util.Assertions.checkStateNotNull;
 
 import android.app.Notification;
 import android.content.Intent;
+import android.content.pm.ServiceInfo;
 import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.os.Handler;
 import android.os.Looper;
+import androidx.annotation.DoNotInline;
 import androidx.annotation.Nullable;
+import androidx.annotation.RequiresApi;
 import androidx.core.app.NotificationManagerCompat;
 import androidx.core.content.ContextCompat;
 import androidx.media3.common.Player;
+import androidx.media3.common.util.Log;
 import androidx.media3.common.util.Util;
 import com.google.common.util.concurrent.Futures;
 import com.google.common.util.concurrent.ListenableFuture;
@@ -44,6 +48,8 @@ import java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException;
  */
 /* package */ final class MediaNotificationManager {
 
+  private static final String TAG = "MediaNtfMng";
+
   private final MediaSessionService mediaSessionService;
   private final MediaNotification.Provider mediaNotificationProvider;
   private final MediaNotification.ActionFactory actionFactory;
@@ -170,8 +176,12 @@ import java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException;
     Player player = session.getPlayer();
     if (player.getPlayWhenReady() && canStartPlayback(player)) {
       ContextCompat.startForegroundService(mediaSessionService, startSelfIntent);
-      mediaSessionService.startForeground(
-          mediaNotification.notificationId, mediaNotification.notification);
+      if (Util.SDK_INT >= 29) {
+        Api29.startForeground(mediaSessionService, mediaNotification);
+      } else {
+        mediaSessionService.startForeground(
+            mediaNotification.notificationId, mediaNotification.notification);
+      }
     } else {
       maybeStopForegroundService(/* removeNotifications= */ false);
       notificationManagerCompat.notify(
@@ -251,4 +261,29 @@ import java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException;
       mediaSessionService.onUpdateNotification(session);
     }
   }
+
+  @RequiresApi(29)
+  private static class Api29 {
+
+    @DoNotInline
+    public static void startForeground(
+        MediaSessionService mediaSessionService, MediaNotification mediaNotification) {
+      try {
+        // startForeground() will throw if the service's foregroundServiceType is not defined in the
+        // manifest to include mediaPlayback.
+        mediaSessionService.startForeground(
+            mediaNotification.notificationId,
+            mediaNotification.notification,
+            ServiceInfo.FOREGROUND_SERVICE_TYPE_MEDIA_PLAYBACK);
+      } catch (RuntimeException e) {
+        Log.e(
+            TAG,
+            "The service must be declared with a foregroundServiceType that includes "
+                + " mediaPlayback");
+        throw e;
+      }
+    }
+
+    private Api29() {}
+  }
 }
diff --git a/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaSessionService.java b/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaSessionService.java
index e6fd108f64..41b3445330 100644
--- a/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaSessionService.java
+++ b/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaSessionService.java
@@ -60,7 +60,9 @@ import org.checkerframework.checker.nullness.qual.MonotonicNonNull;
  * <p>To extend this class, declare the intent filter in your {@code AndroidManifest.xml}:
  *
  * <pre>{@code
- * <service android:name="NameOfYourService">
+ * <service
+ *   android:name="NameOfYourService"
+ *   android:foregroundServiceType="mediaPlayback">
  *   <intent-filter>
  *     <action android:name="androidx.media3.session.MediaSessionService"/>
  *   </intent-filter>
@@ -85,9 +87,11 @@ import org.checkerframework.checker.nullness.qual.MonotonicNonNull;
  *
  * <h2 id="ServiceLifecycle">Service Lifecycle</h2>
  *
- * <p>A media session service is a bound service. When a {@link MediaController} is created for the
- * service, the controller binds to the service. {@link #onGetSession(ControllerInfo)} will be
- * called from {@link #onBind(Intent)}.
+ * <p>A media session service is a bound service and its <a
+ * href="https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/manifest/service-element#foregroundservicetype">foreground
+ * service type</a> must include <em>mediaPlayback</em>. When a {@link MediaController} is created
+ * for the service, the controller binds to the service. {@link #onGetSession(ControllerInfo)} will
+ * be called from {@link #onBind(Intent)}.
  *
  * <p>After binding, the session's {@link MediaSession.SessionCallback#onConnect(MediaSession,
  * MediaSession.ControllerInfo)} will be called to accept or reject the connection request from the
diff --git a/libraries/test_session_current/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml b/libraries/test_session_current/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
index 71c443bf25..457b099fd8 100644
--- a/libraries/test_session_current/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/libraries/test_session_current/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@
     </service>
 
     <service android:name="androidx.media3.session.MockMediaSessionService"
+        android:foregroundServiceType="mediaPlayback"
         android:exported="true"
         android:process=":remote">
       <intent-filter>
@@ -89,6 +90,7 @@
     </service>
 
     <service android:name="androidx.media3.session.LocalMockMediaSessionService"
+        android:foregroundServiceType="mediaPlayback"
         android:exported="true">
       <intent-filter>
         <action android:name="androidx.media3.session.MediaSessionService" />
@@ -96,6 +98,7 @@
     </service>
 
     <service android:name="androidx.media3.session.MockMediaLibraryService"
+        android:foregroundServiceType="mediaPlayback"
         android:exported="true"
         android:process=":remote">
       <intent-filter>