diff --git a/src/master-playlist-controller.js b/src/master-playlist-controller.js
index ca2ef5560..e82bad24c 100644
--- a/src/master-playlist-controller.js
+++ b/src/master-playlist-controller.js
@@ -301,10 +301,22 @@ export class MasterPlaylistController extends videojs.EventTarget {
     const nextPlaylist = this.selectPlaylist();
 
     if (this.shouldSwitchToMedia_(nextPlaylist)) {
-      this.masterPlaylistLoader_.media(nextPlaylist);
+      this.switchMedia_(nextPlaylist, 'abr');
     }
   }
 
+  switchMedia_(playlist, cause, delay) {
+    const oldMedia = this.media();
+    const oldId = oldMedia && (oldMedia.id || oldMedia.uri);
+    const newId = playlist.id || playlist.uri;
+
+    if (oldId && oldId !== newId) {
+      this.logger_(`switch media ${oldId} -> ${newId} from ${cause}`);
+      this.tech_.trigger({type: 'usage', name: `vhs-rendition-change-${cause}`});
+    }
+    this.masterPlaylistLoader_.media(playlist, delay);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Start a timer that periodically calls checkABR_
    *
@@ -416,7 +428,7 @@ export class MasterPlaylistController extends videojs.EventTarget {
 
         this.initialMedia_ = selectedMedia;
 
-        this.masterPlaylistLoader_.media(this.initialMedia_);
+        this.switchMedia_(this.initialMedia_, 'initial');
 
         // Under the standard case where a source URL is provided, loadedplaylist will
         // fire again since the playlist will be requested. In the case of vhs-json
@@ -617,7 +629,7 @@ export class MasterPlaylistController extends videojs.EventTarget {
         const nextPlaylist = this.selectPlaylist();
 
         if (this.shouldSwitchToMedia_(nextPlaylist)) {
-          this.masterPlaylistLoader_.media(nextPlaylist);
+          this.switchMedia_(nextPlaylist, 'bandwidthupdate');
         }
 
         this.tech_.trigger('bandwidthupdate');
@@ -743,7 +755,7 @@ export class MasterPlaylistController extends videojs.EventTarget {
       return;
     }
 
-    this.masterPlaylistLoader_.media(media);
+    this.switchMedia_(media, 'smooth-quality');
 
     this.mainSegmentLoader_.resetLoader();
     // don't need to reset audio as it is reset when media changes
@@ -763,7 +775,7 @@ export class MasterPlaylistController extends videojs.EventTarget {
       return;
     }
 
-    this.masterPlaylistLoader_.media(media);
+    this.switchMedia_(media, 'fast-quality');
 
     // Delete all buffered data to allow an immediate quality switch, then seek to give
     // the browser a kick to remove any cached frames from the previous rendtion (.04 seconds
@@ -1118,7 +1130,7 @@ export class MasterPlaylistController extends videojs.EventTarget {
       (Date.now() - nextPlaylist.lastRequest) <= delayDuration;
 
     // delay if it's a final rendition or if the last refresh is sooner than half targetDuration
-    return this.masterPlaylistLoader_.media(nextPlaylist, isFinalRendition || shouldDelay);
+    return this.switchMedia_(nextPlaylist, 'exclude', isFinalRendition || shouldDelay);
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/test/master-playlist-controller.test.js b/test/master-playlist-controller.test.js
index 54bc35677..dd5a92e70 100644
--- a/test/master-playlist-controller.test.js
+++ b/test/master-playlist-controller.test.js
@@ -1948,7 +1948,7 @@ QUnit.test('does not get stuck in a loop due to inconsistent network/caching', f
   const origMedia = playlistLoader.media.bind(playlistLoader);
   const mediaChanges = [];
 
-  mpc.masterPlaylistLoader_.media = (media) => {
+  mpc.switchMedia_ = (media) => {
     if (media) {
       mediaChanges.push(media);
     }
diff --git a/test/playback-watcher.test.js b/test/playback-watcher.test.js
index 9b716b3bf..a60f34f57 100644
--- a/test/playback-watcher.test.js
+++ b/test/playback-watcher.test.js
@@ -1205,6 +1205,7 @@ loaderTypes.forEach(function(type) {
 
     expectedUsage['vhs-rendition-blacklisted'] = 1;
     expectedUsage['hls-rendition-blacklisted'] = 1;
+    // expectedUsage['vhs-rendition-change-exclude'] = 1;
 
     assert.deepEqual(this.usageEvents, expectedUsage, 'usage as expected');
 
@@ -1224,7 +1225,7 @@ loaderTypes.forEach(function(type) {
 
     const loader = this.mpc[`${type}SegmentLoader_`];
     const playlists = this.mpc.master().playlists;
-    const excludeAndVerify = () => {
+    const excludeAndVerify = (last) => {
       let oldPlaylist;
       // this test only needs 9 appends, since we do an intial append
 
@@ -1243,6 +1244,9 @@ loaderTypes.forEach(function(type) {
       expectedUsage[`vhs-${type}-download-exclusion`] = 1;
       expectedUsage['vhs-rendition-blacklisted'] = 1;
       expectedUsage['hls-rendition-blacklisted'] = 1;
+      if (!last) {
+        expectedUsage['vhs-rendition-change-exclude'] = 1;
+      }
 
       assert.deepEqual(this.usageEvents, expectedUsage, 'usage as expected');
       this.usageEvents = {};
@@ -1283,7 +1287,7 @@ loaderTypes.forEach(function(type) {
 
     // exclude all playlists and verify
     while (i--) {
-      excludeAndVerify();
+      excludeAndVerify((i === 0));
     }
 
   });
diff --git a/test/videojs-http-streaming.test.js b/test/videojs-http-streaming.test.js
index cccfab41e..e1f7ff1bd 100644
--- a/test/videojs-http-streaming.test.js
+++ b/test/videojs-http-streaming.test.js
@@ -1940,7 +1940,9 @@ QUnit.test('blacklists fmp4 playlists by browser support', function(assert) {
   assert.strictEqual(typeof playlists[2].excludeUntil, 'undefined', 'did not blacklist second playlist');
   assert.deepEqual(debugLogs, [
     `Internal problem encountered with playlist ${playlists[0].id}. browser does not support codec(s): "hvc1". Switching to playlist ${playlists[1].id}.`,
-    `Internal problem encountered with playlist ${playlists[1].id}. browser does not support codec(s): "ac-3". Switching to playlist ${playlists[2].id}.`
+    `switch media ${playlists[0].id} -> ${playlists[1].id} from exclude`,
+    `Internal problem encountered with playlist ${playlists[1].id}. browser does not support codec(s): "ac-3". Switching to playlist ${playlists[2].id}.`,
+    `switch media ${playlists[1].id} -> ${playlists[2].id} from exclude`
   ], 'debug log as expected');
 
   window.MediaSource.isTypeSupported = oldIsTypeSupported;
@@ -2011,7 +2013,9 @@ QUnit.test('blacklists ts playlists by muxer support', function(assert) {
   assert.strictEqual(typeof playlists[2].excludeUntil, 'undefined', 'did not blacklist third playlist');
   assert.deepEqual(debugLogs, [
     `Internal problem encountered with playlist ${playlists[0].id}. muxer does not support codec(s): "hvc1". Switching to playlist ${playlists[1].id}.`,
-    `Internal problem encountered with playlist ${playlists[1].id}. muxer does not support codec(s): "ac-3". Switching to playlist ${playlists[2].id}.`
+    `switch media ${playlists[0].id} -> ${playlists[1].id} from exclude`,
+    `Internal problem encountered with playlist ${playlists[1].id}. muxer does not support codec(s): "ac-3". Switching to playlist ${playlists[2].id}.`,
+    `switch media ${playlists[1].id} -> ${playlists[2].id} from exclude`
   ], 'debug log as expected');
 
   window.MediaSource.isTypeSupported = oldIsTypeSupported;