One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for deferring license retrieval when streaming digital media content. The perceived delay between the time a user selects the protected digital media content to when playback of the protected digital media content begins is reduced because retrieval and playback of an unprotected version of a portion of the digital media content starts before the license and protected version of the digital media content is received. The unprotected version includes fast start streams of audio and video data that may encoded at a lower bit rate than the protected version in order to quickly transfer the fast start streams from the content server to the playback device.