diff --git a/pikaraoke/karaoke.py b/pikaraoke/karaoke.py
index 4335281a..c0a72c9d 100644
--- a/pikaraoke/karaoke.py
+++ b/pikaraoke/karaoke.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import random
 import socket
 import subprocess
+import threading
 import time
 from pathlib import Path
 from queue import Queue
@@ -620,7 +621,7 @@ def queue_edit(self, song_name, action):
     def skip(self):
         if self.is_file_playing():
             logging.info("Skipping: " + self.now_playing)
-            self.now_playing_command = "skip"
+            self.end_song()
             return True
         else:
             logging.warning("Tried to skip, but no file is playing!")
@@ -629,7 +630,6 @@ def skip(self):
     def pause(self):
         if self.is_file_playing():
             logging.info("Toggling pause: " + self.now_playing)
-            self.now_playing_command = "pause"
             self.is_paused = not self.is_paused
             return True
         else:
@@ -639,8 +639,6 @@ def pause(self):
     def volume_change(self, vol_level):
         self.volume = vol_level
         logging.debug(f"Setting volume to: {self.volume}")
-        if self.is_file_playing():
-            self.now_playing_command = f"volume_change: {self.volume}"
         return True
 
     def vol_up(self):
@@ -650,12 +648,6 @@ def vol_up(self):
             self.volume = 1.0
             logging.debug("max volume reached.")
         logging.debug(f"Increasing volume by 10%: {self.volume}")
-        if self.is_file_playing():
-            self.now_playing_command = "vol_up"
-            return True
-        else:
-            logging.warning("Tried to volume up, but no file is playing!")
-            return False
 
     def vol_down(self):
         self.volume -= 0.1
@@ -664,16 +656,15 @@ def vol_down(self):
             self.volume = 0
             logging.debug("minimum volume reached.")
         logging.debug(f"Decreasing volume by 10%: {self.volume}")
-        if self.is_file_playing():
-            self.now_playing_command = "vol_down"
-            return True
-        else:
-            logging.warning("Tried to volume down, but no file is playing!")
-            return False
+
+    def send_command(self, command):
+        self.now_playing_command = command
+        threading.Timer(2, self.reset_now_playing_command).start()
+        # Clear the command asynchronously. 2s should be enough for client polling to pick it up
 
     def restart(self):
         if self.is_file_playing():
-            self.now_playing_command = "restart"
+            self.send_command("restart")
             return True
         else:
             logging.warning("Tried to restart, but no file is playing!")
@@ -685,6 +676,9 @@ def stop(self):
     def handle_run_loop(self):
         time.sleep(self.loop_interval / 1000)
 
+    def reset_now_playing_command(self):
+        self.now_playing_command = None
+
     def reset_now_playing(self):
         self.now_playing = None
         self.now_playing_filename = None
diff --git a/pikaraoke/templates/splash.html b/pikaraoke/templates/splash.html
index b92a6a68..dc290ec0 100644
--- a/pikaraoke/templates/splash.html
+++ b/pikaraoke/templates/splash.html
@@ -23,9 +23,9 @@
     parseInt("{{ screensaver_timeout }}") * 1000 || 300000;
   let screensaverTimeout;
 
-  var isPlaying = false;
-  var isPaused = false;
   var nowPlayingInterval = null;
+  var pollingInterval = 1000;
+
   var nowPlayingHash = null;
   var nowPlaying = {};
   var showMenu = false;
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
   var volume = 0.85;
 
   function startNowPlayingPolling() {
-    nowPlayingInterval = setInterval(getNowPlaying, 1000);
+    nowPlayingInterval = setInterval(getNowPlaying, pollingInterval);
   }
 
   function handleConfirmation() {
@@ -46,10 +46,13 @@
     $.get('{{ url_for("clear_command") }}');
   }
 
-  function endSong() {
+  function stopVideo() {
     $("#video-container").hide();
+  }
+
+  function endSong() {
+    stopVideo();
     $.get('{{ url_for("end_song") }}');
-    setTimeout(() => (isPlaying = false), 1100);
   }
 
   function executeCommand(callback) {
@@ -100,13 +103,16 @@
         const video = $("#video")[0];
 
         // Start playback if a valid now_playing_url is provided
-        if (obj.now_playing_url && !isPlaying) {
+        if (
+          obj.now_playing_url &&
+          !isVideoPlaying(video) &&
+          $("#video-container").is(":hidden")
+        ) {
           if (!confirmationDismissed) {
             console.log(
               "Browser is unable to play video. User did not confirm interaction prompt."
             );
           }
-          isPlaying = true;
           $("#video-source").attr("src", obj.now_playing_url);
           video.load();
           if (volume != obj.volume) {
@@ -117,61 +123,39 @@
 
           // handle timeout if video fails to play
           setTimeout(() => {
-            if (!isVideoPlaying(video) && !isPaused) {
+            if (!isVideoPlaying(video) && !video.paused) {
               endSong();
             }
           }, 10000);
         }
 
-        // Handle vol up
-        if (obj.now_playing_command == "vol_up" && isPlaying) {
-          executeCommand(() => {
-            const volume = video.volume;
-            video.volume = Math.min(1, volume + 0.1);
-          });
+        // Stop video if we're out of sync with server
+        if (isVideoPlaying(video) && !obj.now_playing) {
+          video.pause();
+          stopVideo();
         }
 
-        // Handle vol down
-        if (obj.now_playing_command == "vol_down" && isPlaying) {
-          executeCommand(() => {
-            const volume = video.volume;
-            video.volume = Math.max(0, volume - 0.1);
-          });
+        // Handle pause/play
+        if (obj.now_playing && !video.paused && obj.is_paused) {
+          video.pause();
         }
-
-        // Handle pause
-        if (obj.now_playing_command == "pause" && isPlaying) {
-          executeCommand(() => {
-            isPaused ? video.play() : video.pause();
-            isPaused = !isPaused;
-          });
+        if (obj.now_playing && video.paused && !obj.is_paused) {
+          video.play();
         }
 
-        // Handle skip
-        if (obj.now_playing_command == "skip" && isPlaying) {
-          executeCommand(() => {
-            video.pause();
-            endSong();
-          });
+        // Handle volume change
+        if (volume != obj.volume) {
+          volume = obj.volume;
+          video.volume = volume;
         }
 
         // Handle restart
-        if (obj.now_playing_command == "restart" && isPlaying) {
-          executeCommand(() => {
-            video.currentTime = 0;
-          });
-        }
-
-        // Handle volume change
         if (
-          obj.now_playing_command &&
-          obj.now_playing_command.startsWith("volume_change:") &&
-          isPlaying
+          isVideoPlaying(video) &&
+          obj.now_playing_command == "restart" &&
+          video.currentTime > 3
         ) {
-          executeCommand(() => {
-            const volLevel = parseFloat(obj.now_playing_command.split(":")[1]);
-            video.volume = volLevel;
-          });
+          video.currentTime = 0;
         }
       }
 
@@ -179,7 +163,7 @@
       let screensaver = document.getElementById("screensaver");
       if (
         !nowPlaying.up_next &&
-        !isPlaying &&
+        !isVideoPlaying(video) &&
         !screensaverTimeout &&
         !cursorVisible
       ) {
@@ -188,7 +172,7 @@
           startScreensaver();
         }, screensaverTimeoutMs);
       } else {
-        if (nowPlaying.up_next || isPlaying || cursorVisible) {
+        if (nowPlaying.up_next || isVideoPlaying(video) || cursorVisible) {
           screensaver.style.visibility = "hidden";
           stopScreensaver();
           screensaverTimeout = clearTimeout(screensaverTimeout);