diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/control/playback/playback-buttons/PlaybackButtons.tsx b/apps/client/src/features/control/playback/playback-buttons/PlaybackButtons.tsx
index 045afd63ea..1f6d49bf72 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/features/control/playback/playback-buttons/PlaybackButtons.tsx
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/control/playback/playback-buttons/PlaybackButtons.tsx
@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@ import { IoPlaySkipBack } from '@react-icons/all-files/io5/IoPlaySkipBack';
 import { IoPlaySkipForward } from '@react-icons/all-files/io5/IoPlaySkipForward';
 import { IoReload } from '@react-icons/all-files/io5/IoReload';
 import { IoStop } from '@react-icons/all-files/io5/IoStop';
-import { IoTime} from '@react-icons/all-files/io5/IoTime';
+import { IoTime } from '@react-icons/all-files/io5/IoTime';
 import { Playback } from 'ontime-types';
+import { validatePlayback } from 'ontime-utils';
 
 import { setPlayback } from '../../../../common/hooks/useSocket';
 import { tooltipDelayMid } from '../../../../ontimeConfig';
@@ -34,7 +35,13 @@ export default function PlaybackButtons(props: PlaybackButtonsProps) {
   const noEvents = numEvents === 0;
 
   const disableGo = isRolling || noEvents || (isLast && !isArmed);
-  const disablePrev = isRolling || noEvents || isFirst;
+  const disablePrev = noEvents || isFirst;
+
+  const playbackCan = validatePlayback(playback);
+  const disableStart = !playbackCan.start;
+  const disablePause = !playbackCan.pause;
+  const disableRoll = !playbackCan.roll || noEvents;
+  const disableStop = !playbackCan.stop;
 
   const goModeText = selectedEventIndex === null || isArmed ? 'Start' : 'Next';
   const goModeAction = () => {
@@ -51,21 +58,11 @@ export default function PlaybackButtons(props: PlaybackButtonsProps) {
         {goModeText}
       </TapButton>
       <div className={style.playbackContainer}>
-        <TapButton
-          onClick={setPlayback.start}
-          disabled={isStopped || isRolling}
-          theme={Playback.Play}
-          active={isPlaying}
-        >
+        <TapButton onClick={setPlayback.start} disabled={disableStart} theme={Playback.Play} active={isPlaying}>
           <IoPlay />
         </TapButton>
 
-        <TapButton
-          onClick={setPlayback.pause}
-          disabled={isStopped || isRolling || isArmed}
-          theme={Playback.Pause}
-          active={isPaused}
-        >
+        <TapButton onClick={setPlayback.pause} disabled={disablePause} theme={Playback.Pause} active={isPaused}>
           <IoPause />
         </TapButton>
       </div>
@@ -82,21 +79,16 @@ export default function PlaybackButtons(props: PlaybackButtonsProps) {
         </Tooltip>
       </div>
       <div className={style.extra}>
-        <TapButton
-          onClick={setPlayback.roll}
-          disabled={!isStopped || noEvents}
-          theme={Playback.Roll}
-          active={isRolling}
-        >
+        <TapButton onClick={setPlayback.roll} disabled={disableRoll} theme={Playback.Roll} active={isRolling}>
           <IoTime />
         </TapButton>
         <Tooltip label='Reload event' openDelay={tooltipDelayMid}>
-          <TapButton onClick={setPlayback.reload} disabled={isStopped || isRolling}>
+          <TapButton onClick={setPlayback.reload} disabled={isStopped}>
             <IoReload className={style.invertX} />
           </TapButton>
         </Tooltip>
         <Tooltip label='Unload Event' openDelay={tooltipDelayMid}>
-          <TapButton onClick={setPlayback.stop} disabled={isStopped && !isRolling} theme={Playback.Stop}>
+          <TapButton onClick={setPlayback.stop} disabled={disableStop} theme={Playback.Stop}>
             <IoStop />
           </TapButton>
         </Tooltip>
diff --git a/apps/client/src/theme/_v2Styles.scss b/apps/client/src/theme/_v2Styles.scss
index 74b0c77715..0f64a0c5b9 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/theme/_v2Styles.scss
+++ b/apps/client/src/theme/_v2Styles.scss
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ $ontime-delay-text: #E69056;
 $ontime-paused: #c05621;
 $ontime-stop: #E4281E;
 $playback-negative: $red-500;
-$active-indicator: #899948;
+$active-indicator: #8bb33d;
 $text-black: $gray-1350;
 
 // interface panels
diff --git a/apps/server/src/services/PlaybackService.ts b/apps/server/src/services/PlaybackService.ts
index 5831a23760..813906f4f7 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/services/PlaybackService.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/services/PlaybackService.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-import { OntimeEvent, Playback } from 'ontime-types';
+import { OntimeEvent } from 'ontime-types';
+import { validatePlayback } from 'ontime-utils';
 
 import { eventLoader, EventLoader } from '../classes/event-loader/EventLoader.js';
 import { eventStore } from '../stores/EventStore.js';
@@ -133,7 +134,7 @@ export class PlaybackService {
    * Starts playback on selected event
    */
   static start() {
-    if (eventTimer.playback === Playback.Armed || eventTimer.playback === Playback.Pause) {
+    if (validatePlayback(eventTimer.playback).start) {
       eventTimer.start();
       const newState = eventTimer.playback;
       logger.info('PLAYBACK', `Play Mode ${newState.toUpperCase()}`);
@@ -155,7 +156,7 @@ export class PlaybackService {
    * Pauses playback on selected event
    */
   static pause() {
-    if (eventTimer.playback === Playback.Play) {
+    if (validatePlayback(eventTimer.playback).pause) {
       eventTimer.pause();
       const newState = eventTimer.playback;
       logger.info('PLAYBACK', `Play Mode ${newState.toUpperCase()}`);
@@ -166,7 +167,7 @@ export class PlaybackService {
    * Stops timer and unloads any events
    */
   static stop() {
-    if (eventTimer.playback !== Playback.Stop) {
+    if (validatePlayback(eventTimer.playback).stop) {
       eventLoader.reset();
       eventTimer.stop();
       const newState = eventTimer.playback;
diff --git a/apps/server/src/services/TimerService.ts b/apps/server/src/services/TimerService.ts
index 96c9852834..0608dcd241 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/services/TimerService.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/services/TimerService.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,13 @@ import { DAY_TO_MS } from '../utils/time.js';
 import { integrationService } from './integration-service/IntegrationService.js';
 import { getCurrent, getElapsed, getExpectedFinish } from './timerUtils.js';
 import { clock } from './Clock.js';
+import { logger } from '../classes/Logger.js';
+
+type initialLoadingData = {
+  startedAt?: number | null;
+  expectedFinish?: number | null;
+  current?: number | null;
+};
 
 export class TimerService {
   private readonly _interval: NodeJS.Timer;
@@ -113,7 +120,7 @@ export class TimerService {
    * @param {string} timer.timerType
    * @param {boolean} timer.skip
    */
-  load(timer) {
+  load(timer, initialData?: initialLoadingData) {
     if (timer.skip) {
       throw new Error('Refuse load of skipped event');
     }
@@ -129,6 +136,10 @@ export class TimerService {
     this.pausedTime = 0;
     this.pausedAt = 0;
 
+    if (typeof initialData !== 'undefined') {
+      this.timer = { ...this.timer, ...initialData };
+    }
+
     this._onLoad();
   }
 
@@ -146,6 +157,9 @@ export class TimerService {
 
   start() {
     if (!this.loadedTimerId) {
+      if (this.playback === Playback.Roll) {
+        logger.error('PLAYBACK', 'Cannot start while waiting for event');
+      }
       return;
     }
 
@@ -155,12 +169,12 @@ export class TimerService {
 
     this.timer.clock = clock.timeNow();
 
-    // add paused time
+    // add paused time if it exists
     if (this.pausedTime) {
       this.timer.addedTime += this.pausedTime;
       this.pausedAt = null;
       this.pausedTime = 0;
-    } else {
+    } else if (this.timer.startedAt === null) {
       this.timer.startedAt = this.timer.clock;
     }
 
@@ -188,10 +202,6 @@ export class TimerService {
   }
 
   pause() {
-    if (this.playback !== Playback.Play) {
-      return;
-    }
-
     this.playback = Playback.Pause;
     this.timer.clock = clock.timeNow();
     this.pausedAt = this.timer.clock;
@@ -370,9 +380,11 @@ export class TimerService {
 
       // when we load a timer in roll, we do the same things as before
       // but also pre-populate some data as to the running state
-      this.load(currentEvent);
-      this.timer.startedAt = currentEvent.timeStart;
-      this.timer.expectedFinish = currentEvent.timeEnd;
+      this.load(currentEvent, {
+        startedAt: currentEvent.timeStart,
+        expectedFinish: currentEvent.timeEnd,
+        current: currentEvent.timeEnd - this.timer.clock,
+      });
     } else if (nextEvent) {
       // account for day after
       const nextStart = nextEvent.timeStart < this.timer.clock ? nextEvent.timeStart + DAY_TO_MS : nextEvent.timeStart;
diff --git a/packages/utils/index.ts b/packages/utils/index.ts
index 323704a96a..6fceea01a6 100644
--- a/packages/utils/index.ts
+++ b/packages/utils/index.ts
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@ export { formatFromMillis } from './src/date-utils/formatFromMillis.js';
 export { isTimeString } from './src/date-utils/isTimeString.js';
 export { millisToString } from './src/date-utils/millisToString.js';
 export { generateId } from './src/generate-id/generateId.js';
+export { validatePlayback } from './src/validate-action/validatePlayback.js';
diff --git a/packages/utils/package.json b/packages/utils/package.json
index f2e3b63d94..1e5bdd7cfd 100644
--- a/packages/utils/package.json
+++ b/packages/utils/package.json
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
     "eslint-config-prettier": "^8.6.0",
     "eslint-plugin-prettier": "^4.2.1",
     "eslint-plugin-simple-import-sort": "^8.0.0",
+    "ontime-types": "workspace:*",
     "prettier": "^2.8.3",
     "typescript": "^4.9.4",
     "vitest": "^0.30.1"
diff --git a/packages/utils/src/validate-action/validatePlayback.ts b/packages/utils/src/validate-action/validatePlayback.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6911c73ff8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/utils/src/validate-action/validatePlayback.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+import { Playback } from 'ontime-types';
+
+export function validatePlayback(currentPlayback: Playback) {
+  return {
+    start: currentPlayback !== Playback.Stop,
+    pause: currentPlayback === Playback.Play || currentPlayback === Playback.Roll,
+    roll: true,
+    stop: currentPlayback !== Playback.Stop,
+  };
+}
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index e07297b7d4..4e3da0fb66 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -267,6 +267,7 @@ importers:
       eslint-plugin-simple-import-sort: ^8.0.0
       luxon: ^3.3.0
       nanoid: ^4.0.1
+      ontime-types: workspace:*
       prettier: ^2.8.3
       typescript: ^4.9.4
       vitest: ^0.30.1
@@ -281,6 +282,7 @@ importers:
       eslint-config-prettier: 8.6.0_eslint@8.31.0
       eslint-plugin-prettier: 4.2.1_do5yx3dogbskqc4h5x5ilvlwyy
       eslint-plugin-simple-import-sort: 8.0.0_eslint@8.31.0
+      ontime-types: link:../types
       prettier: 2.8.3
       typescript: 4.9.4
       vitest: 0.30.1