diff --git a/backend/src/controllers/spotify.py b/backend/src/controllers/spotify.py
index 6a63c74..d13cfdc 100644
--- a/backend/src/controllers/spotify.py
+++ b/backend/src/controllers/spotify.py
@@ -135,7 +135,12 @@ def pause_playback():
     def start_playback():
         access_token = request.cookies.get("spotify_access_token")
         request_body = request.json
-        start_playback_request_body = StartPlaybackRequest.model_validate(request_body)
+        start_playback_request_body = StartPlaybackRequest.model_validate(request_body) if request_body else None
         return spotify.start_playback(access_token, start_playback_request_body)
 
+    @spotify_controller.route("pause_or_start_playback", methods=["PUT"])
+    def pause_or_start_playback():
+        access_token = request.cookies.get("spotify_access_token")
+        return spotify.pause_or_start_playback(access_token)
+
     return spotify_controller
diff --git a/backend/src/spotify.py b/backend/src/spotify.py
index bdf9e0e..fcd91aa 100644
--- a/backend/src/spotify.py
+++ b/backend/src/spotify.py
@@ -469,19 +469,17 @@ def pause_playback(self, access_token) -> Response:
             },
             auth=BearerAuth(access_token),
         )
-        foo = self.response_handler(
+        return self.response_handler(
             make_response("", response.status_code), jsonify=False
         )
-        return foo
 
     def start_playback(
         self, access_token, start_playback_request_body: StartPlaybackRequest = None
     ) -> Response:
-        request_json = start_playback_request_body.model_dump_json(exclude_none=True)
-        if request_json == {}:
+        if not start_playback_request_body:
             data = None
         else:
-            data = request_json
+            data = start_playback_request_body.model_dump_json(exclude_none=True)
 
         response = requests.put(
             url="https://api.spotify.com/v1/me/player/play",
@@ -491,10 +489,16 @@ def start_playback(
             },
             auth=BearerAuth(access_token),
         )
-        foo = self.response_handler(
+        return self.response_handler(
             make_response("", response.status_code), jsonify=False
         )
-        return foo
+
+    def pause_or_start_playback(self, access_token) -> Response:
+        is_playing = self.get_current_playback(access_token).is_playing
+        if is_playing:
+            return self.pause_playback(access_token)
+        else:
+            return self.start_playback(access_token)
 
 
 def get_playlist_duration(playlist_info: List[PlaylistTrackObject]) -> int:
diff --git a/frontend/src/api/index.ts b/frontend/src/api/index.ts
index 355e15e..332be56 100644
--- a/frontend/src/api/index.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/api/index.ts
@@ -121,4 +121,8 @@ export const startPlayback = async (
 		offset,
 		position_ms
 	});
+};
+
+export const pauseOrStartPlayback = async (): Promise<Response> => {
+	return jsonRequest(`spotify/pause_or_start_playback`, RequestMethod.PUT);
 };
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/frontend/src/context/PlaybackContext.tsx b/frontend/src/context/PlaybackContext.tsx
index 4097cf5..18905a3 100644
--- a/frontend/src/context/PlaybackContext.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/context/PlaybackContext.tsx
@@ -6,12 +6,11 @@ import React, {
   useState,
 } from "react";
 import { PlaybackInfo, PlaylistProgress } from "../interfaces/PlaybackInfo";
-import { QueryObserverResult, RefetchOptions, useQuery } from "@tanstack/react-query";
+import { useQuery } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import { getPlaybackInfo, getPlaylistProgress } from "../api";
 
 interface PlaybackContext {
   playbackInfo?: PlaybackInfo;
-  refetchPlaybackInfo?: (options?: RefetchOptions) => Promise<QueryObserverResult<PlaybackInfo, Error>>
   playlistProgress?: PlaylistProgress;
 }
 
@@ -25,7 +24,7 @@ export const PlaybackContextProvider: FC<PlaybackContextProviderProps> = ({
   children,
 }) => {
   const [playbackRefetchInterval, setPlaybackRefetchInterval] = useState(5000);
-  const { data: playbackInfo, refetch: refetchPlaybackInfo } = useQuery<PlaybackInfo>({
+  const { data: playbackInfo } = useQuery<PlaybackInfo>({
     queryKey: ["playbackInfo"],
     queryFn: () => {
       return getPlaybackInfo();
@@ -51,7 +50,7 @@ export const PlaybackContextProvider: FC<PlaybackContextProviderProps> = ({
   });
 
   return (
-    <PlaybackContext.Provider value={{ playbackInfo, playlistProgress, refetchPlaybackInfo }}>
+    <PlaybackContext.Provider value={{ playbackInfo, playlistProgress }}>
       {children}
     </PlaybackContext.Provider>
   );
diff --git a/frontend/src/presentational/PlaybackFooter.tsx b/frontend/src/presentational/PlaybackFooter.tsx
index 8cae3e7..4b18bf5 100644
--- a/frontend/src/presentational/PlaybackFooter.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/presentational/PlaybackFooter.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { useQuery } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import React, { FC, useEffect, useState } from "react";
-import { getPlaybackInfo, getPlaylistProgress, pausePlayback, startPlayback } from "../api";
+import { getPlaybackInfo, getPlaylistProgress, pauseOrStartPlayback, pausePlayback, startPlayback } from "../api";
 import { PlaybackInfo, PlaylistProgress } from "../interfaces/PlaybackInfo";
 import { ProgressCircle } from "../components/ProgressCircle";
 import useWindowSize from "../hooks/useWindowSize";
@@ -12,17 +12,12 @@ import { Link } from "react-router-dom";
 
 const PlaybackFooter: FC = () => {
   const { isMobileView } = useWindowSize();
-  const { playbackInfo, playlistProgress, refetchPlaybackInfo } = usePlaybackContext();
+  const { playbackInfo, playlistProgress } = usePlaybackContext();
 
   if (!playbackInfo) return null;
 
   const handlePausePlayClick = (): void => {
-    if (playbackInfo.is_playing) {
-      pausePlayback()
-    } else {
-      startPlayback()
-    }
-    refetchPlaybackInfo?.()
+    pauseOrStartPlayback()
   }
 
   return (