diff --git a/web/packages/teleport/src/lib/tdp/playerClient.ts b/web/packages/teleport/src/lib/tdp/playerClient.ts
index dd32996b5bd79..9adb15ef10038 100644
--- a/web/packages/teleport/src/lib/tdp/playerClient.ts
+++ b/web/packages/teleport/src/lib/tdp/playerClient.ts
@@ -112,6 +112,11 @@ export class PlayerClient extends Client {
     }
 
     this.lastUpdateTime = Date.now();
+    this.send(JSON.stringify({ action: Action.TOGGLE_PLAY_PAUSE }));
+
+    if (this.paused) {
+      return;
+    }
 
     if (this.isSeekingForward()) {
       const next = Math.max(this.skipTimeUpdatesUntil, this.lastTimestamp);
@@ -119,8 +124,6 @@ export class PlayerClient extends Client {
     } else {
       this.scheduleNextUpdate(this.lastTimestamp);
     }
-
-    this.send(JSON.stringify({ action: Action.TOGGLE_PLAY_PAUSE }));
   }
 
   // setPlaySpeed sets the playback speed of the recording.