diff --git a/homeassistant/components/media_player/firetv.py b/homeassistant/components/media_player/firetv.py
index c0dedb27b77..9db17416bda 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/media_player/firetv.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/media_player/firetv.py
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ Possible states are:
  - disconnected (can't communicate with device)
 """
 
+import logging
 import requests
 
 from homeassistant.const import (
@@ -59,18 +60,35 @@ SUPPORT_FIRETV = SUPPORT_PAUSE | \
     SUPPORT_NEXT_TRACK | SUPPORT_VOLUME_SET
 
 DOMAIN = 'firetv'
+DEVICE_LIST_URL = 'http://{0}/devices/list'
+DEVICE_STATE_URL = 'http://{0}/devices/state/{1}'
+DEVICE_ACTION_URL = 'http://{0}/devices/action/{1}/{2}'
+
+_LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 # pylint: disable=unused-argument
 def setup_platform(hass, config, add_devices, discovery_info=None):
     """ Sets up the firetv platform. """
-    add_devices([
-        FireTVDevice(
-            config.get('host', 'localhost:5556'),
-            config.get('device', 'default'),
-            config.get('name', 'Amazon Fire TV')
-        )
-    ])
+    host = config.get('host', 'localhost:5556')
+    device_id = config.get('device', 'default')
+    try:
+        response = requests.get(DEVICE_LIST_URL.format(host)).json()
+        if device_id in response['devices'].keys():
+            add_devices([
+                FireTVDevice(
+                    host,
+                    device_id,
+                    config.get('name', 'Amazon Fire TV')
+                )
+            ])
+            _LOGGER.info(
+                'Device %s accessible and ready for control', device_id)
+        else:
+            _LOGGER.warn(
+                'Device %s is not registered with firetv-server', device_id)
+    except requests.exceptions.RequestException:
+        _LOGGER.error('Could not connect to firetv-server at %s', host)
 
 
 class FireTV(object):
@@ -84,9 +102,6 @@ class FireTV(object):
     HTTP server (which must be running via Python 2).
     """
 
-    DEVICE_STATE_URL = 'http://{0}/devices/state/{1}'
-    DEVICE_ACTION_URL = 'http://{0}/devices/action/{1}/{2}'
-
     def __init__(self, host, device_id):
         self.host = host
         self.device_id = device_id
@@ -99,15 +114,15 @@ class FireTV(object):
         """
         try:
             response = requests.get(
-                FireTV.DEVICE_STATE_URL.format(
+                DEVICE_STATE_URL.format(
                     self.host,
                     self.device_id
                     )
-                )
-            return response.json()['state']
-        except requests.exceptions.HTTPError:
-            return STATE_UNKNOWN
+                ).json()
+            return response.get('state', STATE_UNKNOWN)
         except requests.exceptions.RequestException:
+            _LOGGER.error(
+                'Could not retrieve device state for %s', self.device_id)
             return STATE_UNKNOWN
 
     def action(self, action_id):
@@ -118,16 +133,16 @@ class FireTV(object):
         """
         try:
             requests.get(
-                FireTV.DEVICE_ACTION_URL.format(
+                DEVICE_ACTION_URL.format(
                     self.host,
                     self.device_id,
                     action_id
                     )
                 )
-        except requests.exceptions.HTTPError:
-            pass
         except requests.exceptions.RequestException:
-            pass
+            _LOGGER.error(
+                'Action request for %s was not accepted for device %s',
+                action_id, self.device_id)
 
 
 class FireTVDevice(MediaPlayerDevice):
@@ -136,6 +151,7 @@ class FireTVDevice(MediaPlayerDevice):
     def __init__(self, host, device, name):
         self._firetv = FireTV(host, device)
         self._name = name
+        self._state = STATE_UNKNOWN
 
     @property
     def name(self):
@@ -155,15 +171,18 @@ class FireTVDevice(MediaPlayerDevice):
     @property
     def state(self):
         """ State of the player. """
-        state_map = {
+        return self._state
+
+    def update(self):
+        """ Update device state. """
+        self._state = {
             'idle': STATE_IDLE,
             'off': STATE_OFF,
             'play': STATE_PLAYING,
             'pause': STATE_PAUSED,
             'standby': STATE_STANDBY,
             'disconnected': STATE_UNKNOWN,
-        }
-        return state_map.get(self._firetv.state, STATE_UNKNOWN)
+        }.get(self._firetv.state, STATE_UNKNOWN)
 
     def turn_on(self):
         """ Turns on the device. """