diff --git a/RELEASENOTES.md b/RELEASENOTES.md
index a1794e8075..53703a0019 100644
--- a/RELEASENOTES.md
+++ b/RELEASENOTES.md
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@
     *   Fix issue where adaptation sets marked with `adaptation-set-switching`
         but different languages or role flags are merged together
         ([#2222](https://github.com/androidx/media/issues/2222)).
+*   HLS extension:
+    *   Loosen the condition for seeking to sync positions in a HLS stream
+        ([#2209](https://github.com/androidx/media/issues/2209)).
 
 ## 1.6
 
diff --git a/libraries/exoplayer_hls/src/main/java/androidx/media3/exoplayer/hls/HlsChunkSource.java b/libraries/exoplayer_hls/src/main/java/androidx/media3/exoplayer/hls/HlsChunkSource.java
index 931ae99362..8ba3827899 100644
--- a/libraries/exoplayer_hls/src/main/java/androidx/media3/exoplayer/hls/HlsChunkSource.java
+++ b/libraries/exoplayer_hls/src/main/java/androidx/media3/exoplayer/hls/HlsChunkSource.java
@@ -296,19 +296,23 @@ import org.checkerframework.checker.nullness.qual.MonotonicNonNull;
                 /* isForPlayback= */ true)
             : null;
 
-    if (mediaPlaylist == null
-        || mediaPlaylist.segments.isEmpty()
-        || !mediaPlaylist.hasIndependentSegments) {
+    if (mediaPlaylist == null || mediaPlaylist.segments.isEmpty()) {
       return positionUs;
     }
 
-    // Segments start with sync samples (i.e., EXT-X-INDEPENDENT-SEGMENTS is set) and the playlist
-    // is non-empty, so we can use segment start times as sync points. Note that in the rare case
-    // that (a) an adaptive quality switch occurs between the adjustment and the seek being
-    // performed, and (b) segment start times are not aligned across variants, it's possible that
-    // the adjusted position may not be at a sync point when it was intended to be. However, this is
-    // very much an edge case, and getting it wrong is worth it for getting the vast majority of
-    // cases right whilst keeping the implementation relatively simple.
+    // The playlist is non-empty, so we can use segment start times as sync points. We can always
+    // safely assume that the segment contains the positionUs starts with sync samples (even if it
+    // actually doesn't) and set the below firstSyncUs as the start time of that segment, as it
+    // doesn't harm the seeking performance if it is resolved to be the seek position. However, we
+    // should set the secondSyncUs as the start time of the segment after the positionUs only when
+    // we're sure that the segments start with sync samples (i.e., EXT-X-INDEPENDENT-SEGMENTS is
+    // set).
+    //
+    // Note that in the rare case that (a) an adaptive quality switch occurs between the adjustment
+    // and the seek being performed, and (b) segment start times are not aligned across variants,
+    // it's possible that the adjusted position may not be at a sync point when it was intended to
+    // be. However, this is very much an edge case, and getting it wrong is worth it for getting
+    // the vast majority of cases right whilst keeping the implementation relatively simple.
     long startOfPlaylistInPeriodUs =
         mediaPlaylist.startTimeUs - playlistTracker.getInitialStartTimeUs();
     long relativePositionUs = positionUs - startOfPlaylistInPeriodUs;
@@ -320,7 +324,7 @@ import org.checkerframework.checker.nullness.qual.MonotonicNonNull;
             /* stayInBounds= */ true);
     long firstSyncUs = mediaPlaylist.segments.get(segmentIndex).relativeStartTimeUs;
     long secondSyncUs = firstSyncUs;
-    if (segmentIndex != mediaPlaylist.segments.size() - 1) {
+    if (mediaPlaylist.hasIndependentSegments && segmentIndex != mediaPlaylist.segments.size() - 1) {
       secondSyncUs = mediaPlaylist.segments.get(segmentIndex + 1).relativeStartTimeUs;
     }
     return seekParameters.resolveSeekPositionUs(relativePositionUs, firstSyncUs, secondSyncUs)
diff --git a/libraries/exoplayer_hls/src/test/java/androidx/media3/exoplayer/hls/HlsChunkSourceTest.java b/libraries/exoplayer_hls/src/test/java/androidx/media3/exoplayer/hls/HlsChunkSourceTest.java
index 4094acf429..f413ec04ba 100644
--- a/libraries/exoplayer_hls/src/test/java/androidx/media3/exoplayer/hls/HlsChunkSourceTest.java
+++ b/libraries/exoplayer_hls/src/test/java/androidx/media3/exoplayer/hls/HlsChunkSourceTest.java
@@ -163,7 +163,66 @@ public class HlsChunkSourceTest {
   }
 
   @Test
-  public void getAdjustedSeekPositionUs_noIndependentSegments() throws IOException {
+  public void getAdjustedSeekPositionUsNoIndependentSegments_tryPreviousSync() throws IOException {
+    HlsChunkSource testChunkSource = createHlsChunkSource(/* cmcdConfiguration= */ null);
+
+    InputStream inputStream =
+        TestUtil.getInputStream(ApplicationProvider.getApplicationContext(), PLAYLIST);
+    HlsMediaPlaylist playlist =
+        (HlsMediaPlaylist) new HlsPlaylistParser().parse(PLAYLIST_URI, inputStream);
+    when(mockPlaylistTracker.getPlaylistSnapshot(eq(PLAYLIST_URI), anyBoolean()))
+        .thenReturn(playlist);
+
+    long adjustedPositionUs =
+        testChunkSource.getAdjustedSeekPositionUs(
+            playlistTimeToPeriodTimeUs(17_000_000), SeekParameters.PREVIOUS_SYNC);
+
+    assertThat(periodTimeToPlaylistTimeUs(adjustedPositionUs)).isEqualTo(16_000_000);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void getAdjustedSeekPositionUsNoIndependentSegments_notTryNextSync() throws IOException {
+    HlsChunkSource testChunkSource = createHlsChunkSource(/* cmcdConfiguration= */ null);
+
+    InputStream inputStream =
+        TestUtil.getInputStream(ApplicationProvider.getApplicationContext(), PLAYLIST);
+    HlsMediaPlaylist playlist =
+        (HlsMediaPlaylist) new HlsPlaylistParser().parse(PLAYLIST_URI, inputStream);
+    when(mockPlaylistTracker.getPlaylistSnapshot(eq(PLAYLIST_URI), anyBoolean()))
+        .thenReturn(playlist);
+
+    long adjustedPositionUs =
+        testChunkSource.getAdjustedSeekPositionUs(
+            playlistTimeToPeriodTimeUs(17_000_000), SeekParameters.NEXT_SYNC);
+
+    assertThat(periodTimeToPlaylistTimeUs(adjustedPositionUs)).isEqualTo(17_000_000);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void getAdjustedSeekPositionUsNoIndependentSegments_alwaysTryClosestSyncBefore()
+      throws IOException {
+    HlsChunkSource testChunkSource = createHlsChunkSource(/* cmcdConfiguration= */ null);
+
+    InputStream inputStream =
+        TestUtil.getInputStream(ApplicationProvider.getApplicationContext(), PLAYLIST);
+    HlsMediaPlaylist playlist =
+        (HlsMediaPlaylist) new HlsPlaylistParser().parse(PLAYLIST_URI, inputStream);
+    when(mockPlaylistTracker.getPlaylistSnapshot(eq(PLAYLIST_URI), anyBoolean()))
+        .thenReturn(playlist);
+
+    long adjustedPositionUs1 =
+        testChunkSource.getAdjustedSeekPositionUs(
+            playlistTimeToPeriodTimeUs(17_000_000), SeekParameters.CLOSEST_SYNC);
+    long adjustedPositionUs2 =
+        testChunkSource.getAdjustedSeekPositionUs(
+            playlistTimeToPeriodTimeUs(19_000_000), SeekParameters.CLOSEST_SYNC);
+
+    assertThat(periodTimeToPlaylistTimeUs(adjustedPositionUs1)).isEqualTo(16_000_000);
+    assertThat(periodTimeToPlaylistTimeUs(adjustedPositionUs2)).isEqualTo(16_000_000);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void getAdjustedSeekPositionUsNoIndependentSegments_exact() throws IOException {
     HlsChunkSource testChunkSource = createHlsChunkSource(/* cmcdConfiguration= */ null);
 
     InputStream inputStream =