There is described a method for providing streaming media content to a client device (130-134) includes a server (108) providing (202), for the client device (130-134), a variant playlist file (120) that identifies a plurality of variant streams having different encoded bitrates, tracking (208) sequence numbers of a first set of media segments downloaded by the client device (130-134) from a first playlist file (122-126) that corresponds to the first variant stream encoded at a first bitrate, receiving (210), from the client device (130-134), a request for a second playlist file (122-126) that identifies a second set of media segments from a second variant stream encoded at a second bitrate, determining (212) whether to identify (214), in the second playlist file (122-126), at least one media segment in the second set of media segments that has a same sequence number as any of the media segments, from the first variant stream, downloaded by the client device (130-134), and providing (216), to the client device (130-134), the second playlist file (122-126).