diff --git a/kodi/devicepluginkodi.cpp b/kodi/devicepluginkodi.cpp
index ce0f2f53..8f581aa4 100644
--- a/kodi/devicepluginkodi.cpp
+++ b/kodi/devicepluginkodi.cpp
@@ -104,9 +104,7 @@ DeviceManager::DeviceSetupStatus DevicePluginKodi::setupDevice(Device *device)
     connect(kodi, &Kodi::actionExecuted, this, &DevicePluginKodi::onActionExecuted);
     connect(kodi, &Kodi::versionDataReceived, this, &DevicePluginKodi::versionDataReceived);
     connect(kodi, &Kodi::updateDataReceived, this, &DevicePluginKodi::onSetupFinished);
-    connect(kodi, &Kodi::onPlayerPlay, this, &DevicePluginKodi::onPlayerPlay);
-    connect(kodi, &Kodi::onPlayerPause, this, &DevicePluginKodi::onPlayerPause);
-    connect(kodi, &Kodi::onPlayerStop, this, &DevicePluginKodi::onPlayerStop);
+    connect(kodi, &Kodi::playbackStatusChanged, this, &DevicePluginKodi::onPlaybackStatusChanged);
 
     m_kodis.insert(kodi, device);
     m_asyncSetups.append(kodi);
@@ -167,25 +165,25 @@ DeviceManager::DeviceError DevicePluginKodi::executeAction(Device *device, const
         } else if (action.actionTypeId() == kodiAudioLibraryActionTypeId) {
             kodi->audioLibrary(action.param(kodiAudioCommandParamTypeId).value().toString(), action.id());
             return DeviceManager::DeviceErrorAsync;
-        } else if(action.actionTypeId() == skipBackActionTypeId) {
+        } else if(action.actionTypeId() == kodiSkipBackActionTypeId) {
             kodi->pressButton("skipprevious", action.id());
             return DeviceManager::DeviceErrorAsync;
-        } else if(action.actionTypeId() == rewindActionTypeId) {
+        } else if(action.actionTypeId() == kodiRewindActionTypeId) {
             kodi->pressButton("rewind", action.id());
             return DeviceManager::DeviceErrorAsync;
-        } else if(action.actionTypeId() == stopActionTypeId) {
+        } else if(action.actionTypeId() == kodiStopActionTypeId) {
             kodi->pressButton("stop", action.id());
             return DeviceManager::DeviceErrorAsync;
-        } else if(action.actionTypeId() == playActionTypeId) {
+        } else if(action.actionTypeId() == kodiPlayActionTypeId) {
             kodi->pressButton("play", action.id());
             return DeviceManager::DeviceErrorAsync;
-        } else if(action.actionTypeId() == pauseActionTypeId) {
+        } else if(action.actionTypeId() == kodiPauseActionTypeId) {
             kodi->pressButton("pause", action.id());
             return DeviceManager::DeviceErrorAsync;
-        } else if(action.actionTypeId() == fastForwardActionTypeId) {
+        } else if(action.actionTypeId() == kodiFastForwardActionTypeId) {
             kodi->pressButton("fastforward", action.id());
             return DeviceManager::DeviceErrorAsync;
-        } else if(action.actionTypeId() == skipNextActionTypeId) {
+        } else if(action.actionTypeId() == kodiSkipNextActionTypeId) {
             kodi->pressButton("skipnext", action.id());
             return DeviceManager::DeviceErrorAsync;
         } else {
@@ -309,24 +307,18 @@ void DevicePluginKodi::onSetupFinished(const QVariantMap &data)
     kodi->showNotification("Connected", 2000, "info", ActionId());
 }
 
-void DevicePluginKodi::onPlayerPlay()
+void DevicePluginKodi::onPlaybackStatusChanged(const QString &playbackStatus)
 {
     Kodi *kodi = static_cast<Kodi *>(sender());
     Device *device = m_kodis.value(kodi);
-    emit emitEvent(Event(kodiOnPlayerPlayEventTypeId, device->id()));
-}
-
-void DevicePluginKodi::onPlayerPause()
-{
-    Kodi *kodi = static_cast<Kodi *>(sender());
-    Device *device = m_kodis.value(kodi);
-    emit emitEvent(Event(kodiOnPlayerPauseEventTypeId, device->id()));
-}
-
-void DevicePluginKodi::onPlayerStop()
-{
-    Kodi *kodi = static_cast<Kodi *>(sender());
-    Device *device = m_kodis.value(kodi);
-    emit emitEvent(Event(kodiOnPlayerStopEventTypeId, device->id()));
+    device->setStateValue(kodiPlaybackStatusStateTypeId, playbackStatus);
+    // legacy events
+    if (playbackStatus == "PLAYING") {
+        emit emitEvent(Event(kodiOnPlayerPlayEventTypeId, device->id()));
+    } else if (playbackStatus == "PAUSED") {
+        emit emitEvent(Event(kodiOnPlayerPauseEventTypeId, device->id()));
+    } else {
+        emit emitEvent(Event(kodiOnPlayerStopEventTypeId, device->id()));
+    }
 }
 
diff --git a/kodi/devicepluginkodi.h b/kodi/devicepluginkodi.h
index 5e592a48..fe5b4c55 100644
--- a/kodi/devicepluginkodi.h
+++ b/kodi/devicepluginkodi.h
@@ -61,9 +61,7 @@ private slots:
     void versionDataReceived(const QVariantMap &data);
     void onSetupFinished(const QVariantMap &data);
 
-    void onPlayerPlay();
-    void onPlayerPause();
-    void onPlayerStop();
+    void onPlaybackStatusChanged(const QString &playbackStatus);
 };
 
 #endif // DEVICEPLUGINKODI_H
diff --git a/kodi/kodi.cpp b/kodi/kodi.cpp
index 7a1fc0d8..4bb23266 100644
--- a/kodi/kodi.cpp
+++ b/kodi/kodi.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * */
 
 #include "kodi.h"
+#include <QDebug>
+#include "extern-plugininfo.h"
 
 Kodi::Kodi(const QHostAddress &hostAddress, const int &port, QObject *parent) :
     QObject(parent),
@@ -36,9 +38,9 @@ Kodi::Kodi(const QHostAddress &hostAddress, const int &port, QObject *parent) :
     connect(m_jsonHandler, &KodiJsonHandler::versionDataReceived, this, &Kodi::versionDataReceived);
     connect(m_jsonHandler, &KodiJsonHandler::updateDataReceived, this, &Kodi::updateDataReceived);
     connect(m_jsonHandler, &KodiJsonHandler::updateDataReceived, this, &Kodi::onUpdateFinished);
-    connect(m_jsonHandler, &KodiJsonHandler::onPlayerPlay, this, &Kodi::onPlayerPlay);
-    connect(m_jsonHandler, &KodiJsonHandler::onPlayerPause, this, &Kodi::onPlayerPause);
-    connect(m_jsonHandler, &KodiJsonHandler::onPlayerStop, this, &Kodi::onPlayerStop);
+    connect(m_jsonHandler, &KodiJsonHandler::playbackStatusChanged, this, &Kodi::playbackStatusChanged);
+    connect(m_jsonHandler, &KodiJsonHandler::activePlayersChanged, this, &Kodi::activePlayersChanged);
+    connect(m_jsonHandler, &KodiJsonHandler::playerPropertiesReveived, this, &Kodi::playerPropertiesReceived);
 }
 
 QHostAddress Kodi::hostAddress() const
@@ -157,6 +159,9 @@ void Kodi::update()
     params.insert("properties", properties);
 
     m_jsonHandler->sendData("Application.GetProperties", params, ActionId());
+
+    params.clear();
+    m_jsonHandler->sendData("Player.GetActivePlayers", params, ActionId());
 }
 
 void Kodi::checkVersion()
@@ -185,6 +190,7 @@ void Kodi::onVolumeChanged(const int &volume, const bool &muted)
 
 void Kodi::onUpdateFinished(const QVariantMap &data)
 {
+    qCDebug(dcKodi()) << "update finished:" << data;
     if (data.contains("volume")) {
         m_volume = data.value("volume").toInt();
     }
@@ -193,3 +199,32 @@ void Kodi::onUpdateFinished(const QVariantMap &data)
     }
     emit stateChanged();
 }
+
+void Kodi::activePlayersChanged(const QVariantList &data)
+{
+    qCDebug(dcKodi()) << "active players changed" << data.count();
+    m_activePlayerCount = data.count();
+    if (m_activePlayerCount == 0) {
+        emit playbackStatusChanged("STOPPED");
+        return;
+    }
+    int activePlayer = data.first().toMap().value("playerid").toInt();
+    QVariantMap params;
+    params.insert("playerid", activePlayer);
+    QVariantList properties;
+    properties.append("speed");
+    params.insert("properties", properties);
+    m_jsonHandler->sendData("Player.GetProperties", params, ActionId());
+}
+
+void Kodi::playerPropertiesReceived(const QVariantMap &properties)
+{
+    qCDebug(dcKodi()) << "player props received" << properties;
+    if (m_activePlayerCount > 0) {
+        if (properties.value("speed").toDouble() > 0) {
+            emit playbackStatusChanged("PLAYING");
+        } else {
+            emit playbackStatusChanged("PAUSED");
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/kodi/kodi.h b/kodi/kodi.h
index b555d153..9259dcdd 100644
--- a/kodi/kodi.h
+++ b/kodi/kodi.h
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ private:
     KodiJsonHandler *m_jsonHandler;
     bool m_muted;
     int m_volume;
+    int m_activePlayerCount = 0; // if it's > 0, there is something playing (either music or video or slideshow)
 
 signals:
     void connectionStatusChanged();
@@ -73,16 +74,13 @@ signals:
     void actionExecuted(const ActionId &actionId, const bool &success);
     void updateDataReceived(const QVariantMap &data);
     void versionDataReceived(const QVariantMap &data);
-
-    void onPlayerPlay();
-    void onPlayerPause();
-    void onPlayerStop();
+    void playbackStatusChanged(const QString &playbackState);
 
 private slots:
     void onVolumeChanged(const int &volume, const bool &muted);
     void onUpdateFinished(const QVariantMap &data);
-
-
+    void activePlayersChanged(const QVariantList &data);
+    void playerPropertiesReceived(const QVariantMap &properties);
 };
 
 #endif // KODI_H
diff --git a/kodi/kodijsonhandler.cpp b/kodi/kodijsonhandler.cpp
index 740853d8..a498f084 100644
--- a/kodi/kodijsonhandler.cpp
+++ b/kodi/kodijsonhandler.cpp
@@ -51,17 +51,17 @@ void KodiJsonHandler::sendData(const QString &method, const QVariantMap &params,
 
 void KodiJsonHandler::processNotification(const QString &method, const QVariantMap &params)
 {
-    //qCDebug(dcKodi) << "got notification" << method;
+    qCDebug(dcKodi) << "got notification" << method;
 
     if (method == "Application.OnVolumeChanged") {
         QVariantMap data = params.value("data").toMap();
         emit volumeChanged(data.value("volume").toInt(), data.value("muted").toBool());
     } else if (method == "Player.OnPlay") {
-        emit onPlayerPlay();
+        emit playbackStatusChanged("PLAYING");
     } else if (method == "Player.OnPause") {
-        emit onPlayerPause();
+        emit playbackStatusChanged("PAUSED");
     } else if (method == "Player.OnStop") {
-        emit onPlayerStop();
+        emit playbackStatusChanged("STOPPED");
     }
 }
 
@@ -81,17 +81,34 @@ void KodiJsonHandler::processRequestResponse(const KodiReply &reply, const QVari
     if (response.contains("error")) {
         //qCDebug(dcKodi) << QJsonDocument::fromVariant(response).toJson();
         qCWarning(dcKodi) << "got error response for request " << reply.method() << ":" << response.value("error").toMap().value("message").toString();
+        return;
     }
 
     if (reply.method() == "Application.GetProperties") {
         //qCDebug(dcKodi) << "got update response" << reply.method();
         emit updateDataReceived(response.value("result").toMap());
+        return;
     }
 
     if (reply.method() == "JSONRPC.Version") {
         qCDebug(dcKodi) << "got version response" << reply.method();
         emit versionDataReceived(response.value("result").toMap());
+        return;
     }
+
+    if (reply.method() == "Player.GetActivePlayers") {
+        qCDebug(dcKodi) << "Active players changed" << response;
+        emit activePlayersChanged(response.value("result").toList());
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if (reply.method() == "Player.GetProperties") {
+        qCDebug(dcKodi) << "Player properties received" << response;
+        emit playerPropertiesReveived(response.value("result").toMap());
+        return;
+    }
+
+    qCDebug(dcKodi()) << "unhandled reply" << reply.method() << response;
 }
 
 void KodiJsonHandler::processResponse(const QByteArray &data)
diff --git a/kodi/kodijsonhandler.h b/kodi/kodijsonhandler.h
index 942f29f0..7897f36f 100644
--- a/kodi/kodijsonhandler.h
+++ b/kodi/kodijsonhandler.h
@@ -53,10 +53,10 @@ signals:
     void actionExecuted(const ActionId &actionId, const bool &success);
     void updateDataReceived(const QVariantMap &data);
     void versionDataReceived(const QVariantMap &data);
+    void activePlayersChanged(const QVariantList &data);
+    void playerPropertiesReveived(const QVariantMap &properties);
 
-    void onPlayerPlay();
-    void onPlayerPause();
-    void onPlayerStop();
+    void playbackStatusChanged(const QString &playbackStatus);
 
 private slots:
     void processResponse(const QByteArray &data);