diff --git a/fastanime/cli/config.py b/fastanime/cli/config.py
index 4e23a51..3e4bd8f 100644
--- a/fastanime/cli/config.py
+++ b/fastanime/cli/config.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ class Config(object):
         "continue_from_history": "True",
         "default_media_list_tracking": "None",
         "downloads_dir": USER_VIDEOS_DIR,
+        "disable_mpv_popen": "True",
         "episode_complete_at": "80",
         "ffmpegthumbnailer_seek_time": "-1",
         "force_forward_tracking": "true",
@@ -80,11 +81,17 @@ class Config(object):
         if os.path.exists(USER_CONFIG_PATH):
             self.configparser.read(USER_CONFIG_PATH, encoding="utf-8")
 
+        # TODO: rewrite all this removing the useless functions
+        # hate technical debt
+        # why did i do this lol
         self.auto_next = self.get_auto_next()
         self.auto_select = self.get_auto_select()
         self.cache_requests = self.get_cache_requests()
         self.continue_from_history = self.get_continue_from_history()
         self.default_media_list_tracking = self.get_default_media_list_tracking()
+        self.disable_mpv_popen = self.configparser.getboolean(
+            "stream", "disable_mpv_popen"
+        )
         self.downloads_dir = self.get_downloads_dir()
         self.episode_complete_at = self.get_episode_complete_at()
         self.ffmpegthumbnailer_seek_time = self.get_ffmpegthumnailer_seek_time()
@@ -514,6 +521,15 @@ episode_complete_at = {self.episode_complete_at}
 # or just switch to arch linux
 use_python_mpv = {self.use_python_mpv}
 
+
+# whether to use popen to get the timestamps for continue_from_history
+# implemented because popen does not work for some reason in nixos
+# if you are on nixos and you have a solution to this problem please share
+# i will be glad to hear it 😄
+# So for now ignore this option
+# and anyways the new method of getting timestamps is better
+disable_mpv_popen = {self.disable_mpv_popen}
+
 # force mpv window
 # the default 'immediate' just makes mpv to open the window even if the video has not yet loaded
 # done for asthetics
diff --git a/fastanime/cli/utils/mpv.py b/fastanime/cli/utils/mpv.py
index 5e7e540..eeb5db7 100644
--- a/fastanime/cli/utils/mpv.py
+++ b/fastanime/cli/utils/mpv.py
@@ -9,11 +9,13 @@ from ...constants import S_PLATFORM
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+mpv_av_time_pattern = re.compile(r"AV: ([0-9:]*) / ([0-9:]*) \(([0-9]*)%\)")
+
 
 def stream_video(MPV, url, mpv_args, custom_args):
     last_time = "0"
     total_time = "0"
-    if os.environ.get("FASTANIME_DISABLE_MPV_POPEN", "0") == "0":
+    if os.environ.get("FASTANIME_DISABLE_MPV_POPEN", "False") == "False":
         process = subprocess.Popen(
             [
                 MPV,
@@ -29,8 +31,6 @@ def stream_video(MPV, url, mpv_args, custom_args):
             encoding="utf-8",
         )
 
-        av_time_pattern = re.compile(r"AV: ([0-9:]*) / ([0-9:]*) \(([0-9]*)%\)")
-
         try:
             while True:
                 if not process.stderr:
@@ -40,11 +40,10 @@ def stream_video(MPV, url, mpv_args, custom_args):
 
                 if output:
                     # Match the timestamp in the output
-                    match = av_time_pattern.search(output.strip())
+                    match = mpv_av_time_pattern.search(output.strip())
                     if match:
                         current_time = match.group(1)
                         total_time = match.group(2)
-                        match.group(3)
                         last_time = current_time
 
                 # Check if the process has terminated
@@ -59,7 +58,16 @@ def stream_video(MPV, url, mpv_args, custom_args):
             process.terminate()
             process.wait()
     else:
-        subprocess.run([MPV, url, *mpv_args, *custom_args])
+        proc = subprocess.run(
+            [MPV, url, *mpv_args, *custom_args], capture_output=True, text=True
+        )
+        if proc.stdout:
+            for line in reversed(proc.stdout.split("\n")):
+                match = mpv_av_time_pattern.search(line.strip())
+                if match:
+                    last_time = match.group(1)
+                    total_time = match.group(2)
+                    break
     return last_time, total_time