diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/backend_alerts.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/backend_alerts.js
index b2ef4b7cf..5284f0281 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/backend_alerts.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/backend_alerts.js
@@ -72,7 +72,6 @@
       var alertData = $.extend({}, ALERT_TYPES[type]);
       
       alertData.text = text;
-
       if(alertData) {
         $document.triggerHandler(alertData.name, alertData);
       }
@@ -121,6 +120,10 @@
         if(context.JK.CurrentSessionModel)
           context.JK.CurrentSessionModel.onBroadcastStopped(type, text);
       }
+      else if(type === ALERT_NAMES.RECORD_PLAYBACK_STATE) {
+        if(context.JK.CurrentSessionModel)
+          context.JK.CurrentSessionModel.onPlaybackStateChange(type, text);
+      }
       else if((!context.JK.CurrentSessionModel || !context.JK.CurrentSessionModel.inSession()) &&
         (ALERT_NAMES.INPUT_IO_RATE == type || ALERT_NAMES.INPUT_IO_JTR == type || ALERT_NAMES.OUTPUT_IO_RATE == type || ALERT_NAMES.OUTPUT_IO_JTR== type)) {
         // squelch these events if not in session
diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/playbackControls.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/playbackControls.js
index 1634150c1..aa83cfc95 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/playbackControls.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/playbackControls.js
@@ -385,11 +385,25 @@
             }
         }
 
+        function onPlayStartEvent() {
+          playbackPlaying = true;
+        }
+
+        function onPlayStopEvent() {
+          playbackPlaying = false;
+        }
+
+        function onPlayPauseEvent() {
+          playbackPlaying = false;
+        }
 
         this.update = update;
         this.setPlaybackMode = setPlaybackMode;
         this.startMonitor = startMonitor;
         this.stopMonitor = stopMonitor;
+        this.onPlayStopEvent = onPlayStopEvent;
+        this.onPlayStartEvent = onPlayStartEvent;
+        this.onPlayPauseEvent = onPlayPauseEvent;
 
         return this;
     }
diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/session.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/session.js
index 79613f7ba..d7acfaaa4 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/session.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/session.js
@@ -3305,6 +3305,20 @@
           promptLeave = _promptLeave;
         }
 
+      this.onPlaybackStateChange = function(change_type){
+        // if it's play_stop or play_start, poke the playControls
+
+        if(change_type == 'play_start') {
+          playbackControls.onPlayStartEvent();
+        }
+        else if(change_type == 'play_stop'){
+          playbackControls.onPlayStopEvent();
+        }
+        else if(change_type == 'play_pause'){
+          playbackControls.onPlayPauseEvent();
+        }
+      }
+
         context.JK.HandleVolumeChangeCallback = handleVolumeChangeCallback;
         context.JK.HandleMetronomeCallback = handleMetronomeCallback;        
         context.JK.HandleBridgeCallback = handleBridgeCallback;
diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/sessionModel.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/sessionModel.js
index ceb4b70b6..b2f501ff2 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/sessionModel.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/sessionModel.js
@@ -799,6 +799,14 @@
           }
         }
 
+        function onPlaybackStateChange(type, text) {
+
+          // if text is play_start or play_stop, tell the play_controls
+
+          if(sessionScreen) {
+            sessionScreen.onPlaybackStateChange(text);
+          }
+        }
         function onBackendMixerChanged(type, text) {
           logger.debug("BACKEND_MIXER_CHANGE alert. reason:" + text);
 
@@ -909,6 +917,7 @@
         this.onBroadcastStopped = onBroadcastStopped;
         this.onBroadcastSuccess = onBroadcastSuccess;
         this.onBroadcastFailure = onBroadcastFailure;
+        this.onPlaybackStateChange = onPlaybackStateChange;
 
         this.getCurrentSession = function() {
             return currentSession;