diff --git a/mopidy/stream/actor.py b/mopidy/stream/actor.py
index 4561bb63..b3bf0b30 100644
--- a/mopidy/stream/actor.py
+++ b/mopidy/stream/actor.py
@@ -97,9 +97,18 @@ def _unwrap_stream(uri, timeout, scanner, requests_session):
     """
 
     original_uri = uri
+    seen_uris = set()
     deadline = time.time() + timeout
 
     while time.time() < deadline:
+        if uri in seen_uris:
+            logger.info(
+                'Unwrapping stream from URI (%s) failed: '
+                'playlist referenced itself', uri)
+            return None
+        else:
+            seen_uris.add(uri)
+
         logger.debug('Unwrapping stream from URI: %s', uri)
 
         try:
@@ -107,8 +116,7 @@ def _unwrap_stream(uri, timeout, scanner, requests_session):
             if scan_timeout < 0:
                 logger.info(
                     'Unwrapping stream from URI (%s) failed: '
-                    'timed out in %sms',
-                    uri, timeout)
+                    'timed out in %sms', uri, timeout)
                 return None
             scan_result = scanner.scan(uri, timeout=scan_timeout)
         except exceptions.ScannerError as exc:
diff --git a/tests/stream/test_playback.py b/tests/stream/test_playback.py
index ba7c2c92..4c42b1cd 100644
--- a/tests/stream/test_playback.py
+++ b/tests/stream/test_playback.py
@@ -166,3 +166,22 @@ class TestTranslateURI(object):
             result = provider.translate_uri(PLAYLIST_URI)
 
         assert result is None
+
+    @responses.activate
+    def test_playlist_references_itself(self, scanner, provider, caplog):
+        scanner.scan.return_value.mime = 'text/foo'
+        responses.add(
+            responses.GET, PLAYLIST_URI,
+            body=BODY.replace(STREAM_URI, PLAYLIST_URI),
+            content_type='audio/x-mpegurl')
+
+        result = provider.translate_uri(PLAYLIST_URI)
+
+        assert 'Unwrapping stream from URI: %s' % PLAYLIST_URI in caplog.text()
+        assert (
+            'Parsed playlist (%s) and found new URI: %s'
+            % (PLAYLIST_URI, PLAYLIST_URI)) in caplog.text()
+        assert (
+            'Unwrapping stream from URI (%s) failed: '
+            'playlist referenced itself' % PLAYLIST_URI) in caplog.text()
+        assert result is None