diff --git a/client/src/features/viewers/ViewWrapper.jsx b/client/src/features/viewers/ViewWrapper.jsx
index 6e198eac3..738d6acfb 100644
--- a/client/src/features/viewers/ViewWrapper.jsx
+++ b/client/src/features/viewers/ViewWrapper.jsx
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ const withSocket = (Component) => {
     });
     const [timer, setTimer] = useState({
       clock: null,
-      currentSeconds: null,
+      running: null,
       startedAt: null,
       expectedFinish: null,
     });
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ const withSocket = (Component) => {
     // get clock string
     const timeManager = {
       ...timer,
-      finished: timer.running <= 0 && timer.startedAt,
+      finished: playback === 'start' && timer.running <= 0 && timer.startedAt,
       clock: stringFromMillis(timer.clock),
       playstate: playback,
     };
diff --git a/client/src/features/viewers/presenter/PresenterView.jsx b/client/src/features/viewers/presenter/PresenterView.jsx
index 5d76d6df7..53a74faab 100644
--- a/client/src/features/viewers/presenter/PresenterView.jsx
+++ b/client/src/features/viewers/presenter/PresenterView.jsx
@@ -14,10 +14,9 @@ export default function PresenterView(props) {
     document.title = 'ontime - Speaker Screen';
   }, []);
 
-
-
   const showOverlay = pres.text !== '' && pres.visible;
-  const isPlaying = time.playstate === 'start';
+  const isPlaying = time.playstate !== 'pause';
+  const normalisedTime = Math.max(time.running, 0);
 
   // motion
   const titleVariants = {
@@ -61,7 +60,7 @@ export default function PresenterView(props) {
           <div className={style.finished}>TIME UP</div>
         ) : (
           <div className={isPlaying ? style.countdown : style.countdownPaused}>
-            <Countdown time={time.currentSeconds} hideZeroHours />
+            <Countdown time={normalisedTime} hideZeroHours />
           </div>
         )}
       </div>
@@ -73,7 +72,7 @@ export default function PresenterView(props) {
           }
         >
           <MyProgressBar
-            now={time.currentSeconds}
+            now={normalisedTime}
             complete={time.durationSeconds}
             showElapsed
           />