diff --git a/src/app/admin/datasets/[id]/entries/[entryId]/page.tsx b/src/app/admin/datasets/[id]/entries/[entryId]/page.tsx
index cbd0276..74cf58a 100644
--- a/src/app/admin/datasets/[id]/entries/[entryId]/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/admin/datasets/[id]/entries/[entryId]/page.tsx
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ export default async function DatasetEntryPage({ params }: DatasetEntryPageProps
               {(() => {
                 const fileExtension = entry.fileName.substring(entry.fileName.lastIndexOf('.'));
                 const src = `/public/datasets/${datasetIdNum}/${entry.externalId}${fileExtension}`;
-                return <WaveformPlayer src={src} showWaveform={false} />;
+                return <WaveformPlayer src={src} showWaveform={false} playMode='stop'/>;
               })()}
             </div>
 
diff --git a/src/components/AnnotationDistribution.tsx b/src/components/AnnotationDistribution.tsx
index 6889712..291d8f9 100644
--- a/src/components/AnnotationDistribution.tsx
+++ b/src/components/AnnotationDistribution.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import { getAnnotationDistribution, DistributionDimension, DistributionData, DistributionItem, getAnnotatedSamples, AnnotatedSample } from '@/app/actions/annotation-stats';
 import { BarChart, Bar, XAxis, YAxis, CartesianGrid, Tooltip, Legend, ResponsiveContainer } from 'recharts';
-import WaveformPlayer from './WaveformPlayer';
 
 interface AnnotationDistributionProps {
   experimentId: number;
diff --git a/src/components/AnnotationViews/SingleChoiceBinaryEntryView.tsx b/src/components/AnnotationViews/SingleChoiceBinaryEntryView.tsx
index 79be103..0d63228 100644
--- a/src/components/AnnotationViews/SingleChoiceBinaryEntryView.tsx
+++ b/src/components/AnnotationViews/SingleChoiceBinaryEntryView.tsx
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ export default function SingleChoiceBinaryEntryView({
       {/* Waveform player */}
       <WaveformPlayer
         src={audioSrc}
-        durationMs={entry.durationMs}
         onFullyPlayed={() => setFullyPlayed(true)}
+        playMode='pause'
       />
 
       {/* Must-listen hint */}
diff --git a/src/components/AnnotationViews/SingleChoiceEntryView.tsx b/src/components/AnnotationViews/SingleChoiceEntryView.tsx
index 34ee079..01161a3 100644
--- a/src/components/AnnotationViews/SingleChoiceEntryView.tsx
+++ b/src/components/AnnotationViews/SingleChoiceEntryView.tsx
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ export default function SingleChoiceEntryView({
       <WaveformPlayer
         src={audioSrc}
         onFullyPlayed={() => setFullyPlayed(true)}
+        playMode='pause'
       />
 
       {/* Must-listen hint */}
diff --git a/src/components/CalibrationViews/CalibrationEntryView.tsx b/src/components/CalibrationViews/CalibrationEntryView.tsx
index f787366..1137c13 100644
--- a/src/components/CalibrationViews/CalibrationEntryView.tsx
+++ b/src/components/CalibrationViews/CalibrationEntryView.tsx
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ export default function CalibrationEntryView({
       <WaveformPlayer
         src={audioSrc}
         onFullyPlayed={() => setFullyPlayed(true)}
+        playMode='pause'
       />
 
       {/* Must-listen hint */}
diff --git a/src/components/DatasetEntriesList.tsx b/src/components/DatasetEntriesList.tsx
index fe30a6a..9e56b28 100644
--- a/src/components/DatasetEntriesList.tsx
+++ b/src/components/DatasetEntriesList.tsx
@@ -517,7 +517,7 @@ export default function DatasetEntriesList({
                   {(() => {
                     const fileExtension = entry.fileName.substring(entry.fileName.lastIndexOf('.'));
                     const src = `/public/datasets/${datasetId}/${entry.externalId}${fileExtension}`;
-                    return <WaveformPlayer src={src} showWaveform={false} />;
+                    return <WaveformPlayer src={src} showWaveform={false} playMode='stop' />;
                   })()}
                 </td>
                 <td className="py-3 px-4">
diff --git a/src/components/ParticipantDetailView.tsx b/src/components/ParticipantDetailView.tsx
index f9a3223..dd7d88a 100644
--- a/src/components/ParticipantDetailView.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ParticipantDetailView.tsx
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ export default function ParticipantDetailView({ participant, experimentId }: Par
                   {(() => {
                     const fileExtension = selectedAnnotation.fileName.substring(selectedAnnotation.fileName.lastIndexOf('.'));
                     const src = `/public/datasets/${selectedAnnotation.datasetId}/${selectedAnnotation.externalId}${fileExtension}`;
-                    return <WaveformPlayer src={src} showWaveform={false} />;
+                    return <WaveformPlayer src={src} showWaveform={false} playMode='stop' />;
                   })()}
                 </div>
               </div>
diff --git a/src/components/WaveformPlayer.tsx b/src/components/WaveformPlayer.tsx
index 9cc42c7..8dcdca6 100644
--- a/src/components/WaveformPlayer.tsx
+++ b/src/components/WaveformPlayer.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ interface WaveformPlayerProps {
   
   // Display options
   showWaveform?: boolean; // defaults to true; if false, shows simple player button
+  playMode?: 'pause' | 'stop'; // defaults to 'pause'; determines play/pause vs play/stop behavior
 }
 
 const BAR_COUNT = 120;
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ export default function WaveformPlayer({
   onPlay,
   onFullyPlayed,
   showWaveform = true,
+  playMode = 'pause',
 }: WaveformPlayerProps) {
   const { currentAudioId, setCurrentAudio } = useAudio();
   
@@ -74,11 +76,14 @@ export default function WaveformPlayer({
     if (!audio) return;
     setCurrentAudio(playerId);
     onPlay?.();
-    audio.currentTime = 0;
+    // Only reset to start if in stop mode; in pause mode, resume from paused position
+    if (playMode === 'stop') {
+      audio.currentTime = 0;
+    }
     audio.play();
     setIsPlaying(true);
     rafRef.current = requestAnimationFrame(tick);
-  }, [playerId, onPlay, tick]);
+  }, [playerId, onPlay, tick, playMode]);
 
   const handlePause = useCallback(() => {
     const audio = audioRef.current;
@@ -190,19 +195,25 @@ export default function WaveformPlayer({
           onEnded={handleEnded}
         />
         <button
-          onClick={isPlaying ? handleStop : handlePlay}
+          onClick={isPlaying ? (playMode === 'stop' ? handleStop : handlePause) : handlePlay}
           className={`inline-flex items-center justify-center w-8 h-8 rounded-full transition-colors ${
             isPlaying
               ? 'bg-red-500 hover:bg-red-600 text-white'
               : 'bg-blue-500 hover:bg-blue-600 text-white'
           }`}
-          title={isPlaying ? 'Stop' : 'Play'}
+          title={isPlaying ? (playMode === 'stop' ? 'Stop' : 'Pause') : 'Play'}
         >
           {isPlaying ? (
-            <svg className="w-4 h-4" fill="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 20 20">
-              <rect x="6" y="4" width="2" height="12" />
-              <rect x="12" y="4" width="2" height="12" />
-            </svg>
+            playMode === 'stop' ? (
+              <svg className="w-4 h-4" fill="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 20 20">
+                <rect x="5" y="5" width="10" height="10" />
+              </svg>
+            ) : (
+              <svg className="w-4 h-4" fill="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 20 20">
+                <rect x="6" y="4" width="2" height="12" />
+                <rect x="12" y="4" width="2" height="12" />
+              </svg>
+            )
           ) : (
             <svg className="w-4 h-4" fill="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 20 20">
               <path d="M6.3 2.841A1.5 1.5 0 004 4.11v11.78a1.5 1.5 0 002.3 1.269l9.344-5.89a1.5 1.5 0 000-2.538L6.3 2.84z" />
@@ -226,19 +237,25 @@ export default function WaveformPlayer({
       <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
         {/* Play / Pause button */}
         <button
-          onClick={isPlaying ? handlePause : handlePlay}
+          onClick={isPlaying ? (playMode === 'stop' ? handleStop : handlePause) : handlePlay}
           className={`flex-shrink-0 inline-flex items-center justify-center w-9 h-9 rounded-full transition-colors ${
             isPlaying
               ? 'bg-red-500 hover:bg-red-600 text-white'
               : 'bg-blue-500 hover:bg-blue-600 text-white'
           }`}
-          title={isPlaying ? 'Pause' : 'Abspielen'}
+          title={isPlaying ? (playMode === 'stop' ? 'Stop' : 'Pause') : 'Abspielen'}
         >
           {isPlaying ? (
-            <svg className="w-4 h-4" fill="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 20 20">
-              <rect x="5" y="4" width="3" height="12" rx="1" />
-              <rect x="12" y="4" width="3" height="12" rx="1" />
-            </svg>
+            playMode === 'stop' ? (
+              <svg className="w-4 h-4" fill="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 20 20">
+                <rect x="5" y="5" width="10" height="10" />
+              </svg>
+            ) : (
+              <svg className="w-4 h-4" fill="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 20 20">
+                <rect x="5" y="4" width="3" height="12" rx="1" />
+                <rect x="12" y="4" width="3" height="12" rx="1" />
+              </svg>
+            )
           ) : (
             <svg className="w-4 h-4" fill="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 20 20">
               <path d="M6.3 2.841A1.5 1.5 0 004 4.11v11.78a1.5 1.5 0 002.3 1.269l9.344-5.89a1.5 1.5 0 000-2.538L6.3 2.84z" />