diff --git a/apps/nspanel-lovelace-ui/luibackend/controller.py b/apps/nspanel-lovelace-ui/luibackend/controller.py
index 4dc611e9..096817a2 100644
--- a/apps/nspanel-lovelace-ui/luibackend/controller.py
+++ b/apps/nspanel-lovelace-ui/luibackend/controller.py
@@ -177,7 +177,10 @@ class LuiController(object):
         if button_type == "media-back":
             self._ha_api.get_entity(entity_id).call_service("media_previous_track")
         if button_type == "media-pause":
-            self._ha_api.get_entity(entity_id).call_service("media_play_pause")
+            player = self._ha_api.get_entity(entity_id)
+            if player.state == "off":
+                player.call_service("turn_on")
+            player.call_service("media_play_pause")
         if button_type == "volumeSlider":
             pos = int(value)
             # HA wants this value between 0 and 1 as float