diff --git a/web/src/components/HistoryViewer/HistoryVideo.tsx b/web/src/components/HistoryViewer/HistoryVideo.tsx
index f5dcb6fbd..23aadebd9 100644
--- a/web/src/components/HistoryViewer/HistoryVideo.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/HistoryViewer/HistoryVideo.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { h } from 'preact';
-import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'preact/hooks';
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'preact/hooks';
 import { useApiHost } from '../../api';
 
 interface OnTimeUpdateEvent {
@@ -66,23 +66,40 @@ export const HistoryVideo = ({
     }
   }, [id, videoHeight]);
 
-  const playVideo = (video: HTMLMediaElement) => {
-    const videoHasNotLoaded = video.readyState <= 1;
-    if (videoHasNotLoaded) {
-      video.load();
-    }
-
-    video.play().catch((e) => {
-      console.error('Fail', e);
-    });
-  };
-
   useEffect(() => {
+    const playVideo = (video: HTMLMediaElement) => {
+      console.debug('playVideo: attempt playback');
+      video
+        .play()
+        .then(() => {
+          console.debug('playVideo: video started');
+        })
+        .catch((e) => {
+          console.error('Fail', { e });
+        });
+    };
+
+    const attemptPlayVideo = (video: HTMLMediaElement) => {
+      const videoHasNotLoaded = video.readyState <= 1;
+      console.debug('playVideo', { videoHasNotLoaded });
+      if (videoHasNotLoaded) {
+        console.debug('playVideo: attempt to load video');
+        video.oncanplay = () => {
+          console.debug('onLoad: video loaded');
+          playVideo(video);
+        };
+        video.load();
+      } else {
+        playVideo(video);
+      }
+    };
+
     const video = videoRef.current;
     const videoExists = !isNullOrUndefined(video);
     if (videoExists) {
+      console.log('check should start', { videoIsPlaying });
       if (videoIsPlaying) {
-        playVideo(video);
+        attemptPlayVideo(video);
       } else {
         video.pause();
       }
@@ -110,28 +127,24 @@ export const HistoryVideo = ({
     [videoIsPlaying]
   );
 
-  const Video = useCallback(() => {
-    const videoPropertiesIsUndefined = isNullOrUndefined(videoProperties);
-    if (videoPropertiesIsUndefined) {
-      return <div style={{ height: `${videoHeight}px`, width: '100%' }}></div>;
-    }
-    const { posterUrl, videoUrl, height } = videoProperties;
-    return (
-      <video
-        ref={videoRef}
-        onTimeUpdate={onTimeUpdateHandler}
-        onPause={onPause}
-        onPlay={onPlay}
-        poster={posterUrl}
-        preload='metadata'
-        controls
-        style={height ? { minHeight: `${height}px` } : {}}
-        playsInline
-      >
-        <source type='application/vnd.apple.mpegurl' src={videoUrl} />
-      </video>
-    );
-  }, [videoProperties, videoHeight, videoRef]);
-
-  return <Video />;
+  const videoPropertiesIsUndefined = isNullOrUndefined(videoProperties);
+  if (videoPropertiesIsUndefined) {
+    return <div style={{ height: `${videoHeight}px`, width: '100%' }}></div>;
+  }
+  const { posterUrl, videoUrl, height } = videoProperties;
+  return (
+    <video
+      ref={videoRef}
+      onTimeUpdate={onTimeUpdateHandler}
+      onPause={onPause}
+      onPlay={onPlay}
+      poster={posterUrl}
+      preload='metadata'
+      controls
+      style={height ? { minHeight: `${height}px` } : {}}
+      playsInline
+    >
+      <source type='application/vnd.apple.mpegurl' src={videoUrl} />
+    </video>
+  );
 };
diff --git a/web/src/components/HistoryViewer/HistoryViewer.tsx b/web/src/components/HistoryViewer/HistoryViewer.tsx
index e55930c99..f1e5ef173 100644
--- a/web/src/components/HistoryViewer/HistoryViewer.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/HistoryViewer/HistoryViewer.tsx
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@ import { Fragment, h } from 'preact';
 import { useEffect, useState } from 'preact/hooks';
 import { useEvents } from '../../api';
 import { useSearchString } from '../../hooks/useSearchString';
-import { HistoryHeader } from './HistoryHeader';
-import Timeline from '../Timeline/Timeline';
-import { HistoryVideo } from './HistoryVideo';
-import { TimelineEvent } from '../Timeline/TimelineEvent';
-import { TimelineChangeEvent } from '../Timeline/TimelineChangeEvent';
 import { getNowYesterdayInLong } from '../../utils/dateUtil';
+import Timeline from '../Timeline/Timeline';
+import { TimelineChangeEvent } from '../Timeline/TimelineChangeEvent';
+import { TimelineEvent } from '../Timeline/TimelineEvent';
+import { HistoryHeader } from './HistoryHeader';
+import { HistoryVideo } from './HistoryVideo';
 
 export default function HistoryViewer({ camera }) {
   const { searchString } = useSearchString(500, `camera=${camera}&after=${getNowYesterdayInLong()}`);
@@ -38,10 +38,6 @@ export default function HistoryViewer({ camera }) {
     }
   };
 
-  const handlePlay = () => {
-    setIsPlaying((previous) => !previous);
-  };
-
   const onPlayHandler = () => {
     setIsPlaying(true);
   };
@@ -50,9 +46,10 @@ export default function HistoryViewer({ camera }) {
     setIsPlaying(false);
   };
 
-  const handlePrevious = () => {};
-
-  const handleNext = () => {};
+  const onPlayPauseHandler = (isPlaying: boolean) => {
+    console.debug('onPlayPauseHandler: setting isPlaying', { isPlaying });
+    setIsPlaying(isPlaying);
+  };
 
   return (
     <Fragment>
@@ -72,7 +69,12 @@ export default function HistoryViewer({ camera }) {
         </div>
       </Fragment>
 
-      <Timeline events={timelineEvents} onChange={handleTimelineChange} />
+      <Timeline
+        events={timelineEvents}
+        isPlaying={isPlaying}
+        onChange={handleTimelineChange}
+        onPlayPause={onPlayPauseHandler}
+      />
     </Fragment>
   );
 }
diff --git a/web/src/components/Timeline/Timeline.tsx b/web/src/components/Timeline/Timeline.tsx
index 0037b97c8..caa07b155 100644
--- a/web/src/components/Timeline/Timeline.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/Timeline/Timeline.tsx
@@ -9,10 +9,12 @@ import { TimelineEventBlock } from './TimelineEventBlock';
 
 interface TimelineProps {
   events: TimelineEvent[];
+  isPlaying: boolean;
   onChange: (event: TimelineChangeEvent) => void;
+  onPlayPause: (isPlaying: boolean) => void;
 }
 
-export default function Timeline({ events, onChange }: TimelineProps) {
+export default function Timeline({ events, isPlaying, onChange, onPlayPause }: TimelineProps) {
   const timelineContainerRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(undefined);
 
   const [timeline, setTimeline] = useState<TimelineEventBlock[]>([]);
@@ -235,7 +237,10 @@ export default function Timeline({ events, onChange }: TimelineProps) {
     setMarkerTime(getCurrentMarkerTime());
   };
 
-  const onPlayPauseHandler = () => {};
+  const onPlayPauseHandler = (isPlaying: boolean) => {
+    onPlayPause(isPlaying);
+  };
+
   const onPreviousHandler = () => {
     if (currentEvent) {
       const previousEvent = timeline[currentEvent.index - 1];
@@ -284,6 +289,7 @@ export default function Timeline({ events, onChange }: TimelineProps) {
       </div>
       <TimelineControls
         disabled={disabledControls}
+        isPlaying={isPlaying}
         onPrevious={onPreviousHandler}
         onPlayPause={onPlayPauseHandler}
         onNext={onNextHandler}
diff --git a/web/src/components/Timeline/TimelineControls.tsx b/web/src/components/Timeline/TimelineControls.tsx
index 88d4705ea..4e08ec4b7 100644
--- a/web/src/components/Timeline/TimelineControls.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/Timeline/TimelineControls.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { h } from 'preact';
 import Next from '../../icons/Next';
+import Pause from '../../icons/Pause';
 import Play from '../../icons/Play';
 import Previous from '../../icons/Previous';
 import { BubbleButton } from '../BubbleButton';
@@ -13,26 +14,29 @@ export interface DisabledControls {
 interface TimelineControlsProps {
   disabled: DisabledControls;
   className?: string;
-  onPlayPause: () => void;
+  isPlaying: boolean;
+  onPlayPause: (isPlaying: boolean) => void;
   onNext: () => void;
   onPrevious: () => void;
 }
 
 export const TimelineControls = ({
   disabled,
+  isPlaying,
   onPlayPause,
   onNext,
   onPrevious,
   className = '',
 }: TimelineControlsProps) => {
+  const onPlayClickHandler = () => {
+    onPlayPause(!isPlaying);
+  };
   return (
     <div className={`flex space-x-2 self-center ${className}`}>
       <BubbleButton variant='secondary' onClick={onPrevious} disabled={disabled.previous}>
         <Previous />
       </BubbleButton>
-      <BubbleButton onClick={onPlayPause}>
-        <Play />
-      </BubbleButton>
+      <BubbleButton onClick={onPlayClickHandler}>{!isPlaying ? <Play /> : <Pause />}</BubbleButton>
       <BubbleButton variant='secondary' onClick={onNext} disabled={disabled.next}>
         <Next />
       </BubbleButton>
diff --git a/web/src/icons/Pause.jsx b/web/src/icons/Pause.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3b6a143d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/icons/Pause.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import { h } from 'preact';
+import { memo } from 'preact/compat';
+
+export function Pause({ className = '' }) {
+  return (
+    <svg height='24' viewBox='0 0 24 24' width='24' className={className}>
+      <path d='M0 0h24v24H0V0z' fill='none' />
+      <path d='M6 19h4V5H6v14zm8-14v14h4V5h-4z' className='fill-current' />
+    </svg>
+  );
+}
+
+export default memo(Pause);