diff --git a/yt_dlp/extractor/tiktok.py b/yt_dlp/extractor/tiktok.py
index 2a99eb955..295e14932 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/extractor/tiktok.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/extractor/tiktok.py
@@ -274,6 +274,7 @@ class TikTokBaseIE(InfoExtractor):
 
         def extract_addr(addr, add_meta={}):
             parsed_meta, res = parse_url_key(addr.get('url_key', ''))
+            is_bytevc2 = parsed_meta.get('vcodec') == 'bytevc2'
             if res:
                 known_resolutions.setdefault(res, {}).setdefault('height', int_or_none(addr.get('height')))
                 known_resolutions[res].setdefault('width', int_or_none(addr.get('width')))
@@ -286,8 +287,11 @@ class TikTokBaseIE(InfoExtractor):
                 'acodec': 'aac',
                 'source_preference': -2 if 'aweme/v1' in url else -1,  # Downloads from API might get blocked
                 **add_meta, **parsed_meta,
+                # bytevc2 is bytedance's proprietary (unplayable) video codec
+                'preference': -100 if is_bytevc2 else -1,
                 'format_note': join_nonempty(
-                    add_meta.get('format_note'), '(API)' if 'aweme/v1' in url else None, delim=' '),
+                    add_meta.get('format_note'), '(API)' if 'aweme/v1' in url else None,
+                    '(UNPLAYABLE)' if is_bytevc2 else None, delim=' '),
                 **audio_meta(url),
             } for url in addr.get('url_list') or []]