accept bearer token

apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel-utils/PanelUtils.module.scss

@@ -200,8 +200,7 @@ $card-padding: 2rem;
 .overlay {
   position: absolute;
   z-index: $zindex-backdrop;
-  width: 100%;
-  height: 100%;
+  inset: 0;
   backdrop-filter: blur(2px);
   display: grid;
   place-content: center;

apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/about-panel/AppVersion.module.scss

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+.updateIndicator {
+  width: 0.5em;
+  height: 0.5em;
+  flex: 0 0 auto;
+  border-radius: 99px;
+  background-color: $red-400;
+}

apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/about-panel/AppVersion.tsx

@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ import useAppVersion from '../../../../common/hooks-query/useAppVersion';
 import { appVersion, isOntimeCloud, websiteUrl } from '../../../../externals';
 import * as Panel from '../../panel-utils/PanelUtils';
 
+import style from './AppVersion.module.scss';
+
 export default function AppVersion() {
   const { data, isError } = useAppVersion();
 
@@ -18,7 +20,12 @@ export default function AppVersion() {
     return (
       <Panel.ListItem>
         <Panel.Field
-          title={`Ontime ${appVersion}`}
+          title={
+            <>
+              <span className={style.updateIndicator} aria-hidden='true' />
+              {`Ontime ${appVersion}`}
+            </>
+          }
           description={
             isOntimeCloud
               ? `Version ${data.version} is available. Restart your stage to update.`
@@ -26,7 +33,7 @@ export default function AppVersion() {
           }
         />
         {!isOntimeCloud && (
-          <ExternalLink href={websiteUrl}>Visit Ontime's page to download the latest version.</ExternalLink>
+          <ExternalLink href={websiteUrl}>Download the latest version from Ontime's page</ExternalLink>
         )}
       </Panel.ListItem>
     );

apps/client/src/features/app-settings/panel/settings-panel/ServerPortSettings.tsx

@@ -85,10 +85,10 @@ export default function ServerPortSettings() {
             </Button>
           </Panel.InlineElements>
         </Panel.SubHeader>
-        <Panel.Loader isLoading={status === 'pending'} />
         {rootError && <Panel.Error>{rootError}</Panel.Error>}
         <Panel.Divider />
         <Panel.Section>
+          <Panel.Loader isLoading={status === 'pending'} />
           {data.pendingRestart && (
             <Info type='warning'>A port change is pending and will happen on the next restart.</Info>
           )}

apps/electron/src/menu/applicationMenu.js

@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ function makeFileMenu(askToQuit, serverUrl, redirectWindow, showDialog, download
     submenu: [
       {
         label: 'New project...',
-        click: () => redirectWindow('/editor?settings=project__manage&new=true'),
+        click: () => redirectWindow('/editor?settings=project__create'),
       },
       {
         label: 'Load...',
@@ -202,6 +202,18 @@ function makeSettingsMenu(redirectWindow) {
             label: 'View settings',
             click: () => redirectWindow('/editor?settings=settings__view'),
           },
+          {
+            label: 'Custom views',
+            click: () => redirectWindow('/editor?settings=settings__custom-views'),
+          },
+          {
+            label: 'MCP Server',
+            click: () => redirectWindow('/editor?settings=settings__mcp'),
+          },
+          {
+            label: 'Server port',
+            click: () => redirectWindow('/editor?settings=settings__port'),
+          },
         ],
       },
       {

apps/server/src/api-mcp/mcp.auth.ts

@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-import type { NextFunction, Request, RequestHandler, Response } from 'express';
-
-import { hasPassword, hashedPassword } from '../api-data/session/session.service.js';
-
-/**
- * Wraps the app authenticate middleware with support for the Authorization header.
- * MCP clients conventionally authenticate with `Authorization: Bearer <token>`
- * rather than cookies or query params; any other request falls through to the
- * app middleware, keeping the behaviour of the shared middleware untouched.
- */
-export function makeMcpAuthenticate(fallback: RequestHandler): RequestHandler {
-  return function mcpAuthenticate(req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction) {
-    if (hasPassword) {
-      const authHeader = req.headers.authorization;
-      if (authHeader?.startsWith('Bearer ') && authHeader.slice(7) === hashedPassword) {
-        return next();
-      }
-    }
-    return fallback(req, res, next);
-  };
-}

apps/server/src/app.ts

@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import { socket } from './adapters/WebsocketAdapter.js';
 // Import Routers
 import { appRouter } from './api-data/index.js';
 import { integrationRouter } from './api-integration/integration.router.js';
-import { makeMcpAuthenticate } from './api-mcp/mcp.auth.js';
 import { mcpRouter } from './api-mcp/mcp.router.js';
 import { flushPendingWrites, getDataProvider } from './classes/data-provider/DataProvider.js';
 // Services
@@ -102,7 +101,7 @@ app.get(`${prefix}/ready`, (_req, res) => {
 app.use(`${prefix}/login`, loginRouter); // router for login flow
 app.use(`${prefix}/data`, authenticate, appRouter); // router for application data
 app.use(`${prefix}/api`, authenticate, integrationRouter); // router for integrations
-app.use(`${prefix}/mcp`, makeMcpAuthenticate(authenticate), mcpRouter); // router for MCP agent integration
+app.use(`${prefix}/mcp`, authenticate, mcpRouter); // router for MCP agent integration
 
 // serve static external files
 app.use(

apps/server/src/middleware/__tests__/authenticate.test.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,35 @@
-import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import type { IncomingMessage } from 'node:http';
 
-import { isPublicAssetRequest } from '../authenticate.js';
+import type { NextFunction, Request, Response } from 'express';
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+
+vi.mock('../../api-data/session/session.service.js', () => ({
+  hasPassword: true,
+  hashedPassword: 'valid-token',
+}));
+
+import {
+  authenticateSocket,
+  isPublicAssetRequest,
+  makeAuthenticateMiddleware,
+} from '../authenticate.js';
+
+function makeResponse() {
+  return {
+    redirect: vi.fn(),
+    send: vi.fn(),
+    status: vi.fn().mockReturnThis(),
+  } as unknown as Response;
+}
+
+function makeHeadersWithFailingAuthorization(cookie?: string) {
+  return {
+    cookie,
+    get authorization(): never {
+      throw new Error('Authorization header should not be read');
+    },
+  };
+}
 
 describe('isPublicAssetRequest()', () => {
   it('allows root public assets without a prefix', () => {
@@ -18,3 +47,102 @@ describe('isPublicAssetRequest()', () => {
     expect(isPublicAssetRequest('/backstage', '')).toBe(false);
   });
 });
+
+describe('bearer authentication', () => {
+  const next = vi.fn() as NextFunction;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    next.mockClear();
+  });
+
+  it('prioritises cookie authentication for API requests', () => {
+    const { authenticate } = makeAuthenticateMiddleware('');
+    const req = {
+      cookies: { token: JSON.stringify({ token: 'valid-token' }) },
+      headers: makeHeadersWithFailingAuthorization(),
+      query: {},
+    } as unknown as Request;
+
+    expect(() => authenticate(req, makeResponse(), next)).not.toThrow();
+    expect(next).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+  });
+
+  it('prioritises cookie authentication for redirecting routes', () => {
+    const { authenticateAndRedirect } = makeAuthenticateMiddleware('');
+    const req = {
+      cookies: { token: JSON.stringify({ token: 'valid-token' }) },
+      headers: makeHeadersWithFailingAuthorization(),
+      originalUrl: '/external/image.png',
+      query: {},
+    } as unknown as Request;
+
+    expect(() => authenticateAndRedirect(req, makeResponse(), next)).not.toThrow();
+    expect(next).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+  });
+
+  it('prioritises cookie authentication for WebSocket handshakes', () => {
+    const cookie = `token=${encodeURIComponent(JSON.stringify({ token: 'valid-token' }))}`;
+    const req = { headers: makeHeadersWithFailingAuthorization(cookie) } as IncomingMessage;
+
+    expect(() => authenticateSocket({} as never, req, next)).not.toThrow();
+    expect(next).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+  });
+
+  it('authenticates API requests with a bearer token', () => {
+    const { authenticate } = makeAuthenticateMiddleware('');
+    const req = {
+      cookies: {},
+      headers: { authorization: 'Bearer valid-token' },
+      query: {},
+    } as unknown as Request;
+    const res = makeResponse();
+
+    authenticate(req, res, next);
+
+    expect(next).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(res.status).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it('authenticates redirecting routes with a bearer token', () => {
+    const { authenticateAndRedirect } = makeAuthenticateMiddleware('/stage');
+    const req = {
+      cookies: {},
+      headers: { authorization: 'Bearer valid-token' },
+      originalUrl: '/stage/external/image.png',
+      query: {},
+    } as unknown as Request;
+    const res = makeResponse();
+
+    authenticateAndRedirect(req, res, next);
+
+    expect(next).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(res.redirect).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it('authenticates WebSocket handshakes with a bearer token', () => {
+    const req = {
+      headers: { authorization: 'Bearer valid-token' },
+    } as IncomingMessage;
+
+    authenticateSocket({} as never, req, next);
+
+    expect(next).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(next).toHaveBeenCalledWith();
+  });
+
+  it('rejects an invalid bearer token', () => {
+    const { authenticate } = makeAuthenticateMiddleware('');
+    const req = {
+      cookies: {},
+      headers: { authorization: 'Bearer invalid-token' },
+      query: {},
+    } as unknown as Request;
+    const res = makeResponse();
+
+    authenticate(req, res, next);
+
+    expect(next).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(res.status).toHaveBeenCalledWith(401);
+    expect(res.send).toHaveBeenCalledWith('Unauthorized');
+  });
+});

apps/server/src/middleware/authenticate.ts

@@ -77,17 +77,16 @@ export function makeAuthenticateMiddleware(prefix: string) {
   const loginRedirectBase = `${prefix}/login?redirect=`;
 
   function authenticate(req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction) {
-    if (req.query.token) {
-      if (req.query.token === hashedPassword) {
-        return next();
-      }
+    if (getTokenFromCookies(req.cookies) === hashedPassword) {
+      return next();
     }
 
-    if (req.cookies?.token) {
-      const tokenFromCookie = getTokenFromCookie(req.cookies.token);
-      if (tokenFromCookie === hashedPassword) {
-        return next();
-      }
+    if (getTokenFromAuthHeader(req.headers.authorization) === hashedPassword) {
+      return next();
+    }
+
+    if (getTokenFromParams(req.query) === hashedPassword) {
+      return next();
     }
 
     res.status(401).send('Unauthorized');
@@ -105,17 +104,17 @@ export function makeAuthenticateMiddleware(prefix: string) {
       return next();
     }
 
-    // we expect the token to be in the cookies
-    if (req.cookies?.token) {
-      const tokenFromCookie = getTokenFromCookie(req.cookies.token);
-      if (tokenFromCookie === hashedPassword) {
-        return next();
-      }
+    if (getTokenFromCookies(req.cookies) === hashedPassword) {
+      return next();
+    }
+
+    if (getTokenFromAuthHeader(req.headers.authorization) === hashedPassword) {
+      return next();
     }
 
     // we use query params for generating authenticated URLs and for clients like the companion module
     // if the user gives is a token in the query params, we set the cookie to be used in further requests
-    if (req.query.token === hashedPassword) {
+    if (getTokenFromParams(req.query) === hashedPassword) {
       if (hashedPassword !== undefined) {
         setSessionCookie(res, hashedPassword, prefix);
       }
@@ -136,33 +135,16 @@ export function authenticateSocket(_ws: WebSocket, req: IncomingMessage, next: (
     return next();
   }
 
-  // check if the token is in the cookie
-  const cookieString = req.headers.cookie;
-  if (typeof cookieString === 'string') {
-    const cookies = parseCookie(cookieString);
-    if (cookies.token) {
-      const token = getTokenFromCookie(cookies.token);
-      if (token === hashedPassword) {
-        return next();
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
-  // check if token is in the params - simple string check first
-  const urlString = req.url || '';
-  if (urlString.includes(`token=${hashedPassword}`)) {
+  if (getTokenFromCookies(req.headers.cookie) === hashedPassword) {
     return next();
   }
 
-  // fallback to full URL parsing for other formats
-  try {
-    const url = new URL(urlString, `http://${req.headers.host}`);
-    const token = url.searchParams.get('token');
-    if (token === hashedPassword) {
-      return next();
-    }
-  } catch (_) {
-    // ignore URL parsing errors
+  if (getTokenFromAuthHeader(req.headers.authorization) === hashedPassword) {
+    return next();
+  }
+
+  if (getTokenFromParams(req.url, req.headers.host) === hashedPassword) {
+    return next();
   }
 
   return next(new Error('Unauthorized'));
@@ -181,19 +163,18 @@ function setSessionCookie(res: Response, token: string, prefix: string) {
   });
 }
 
-/**
- * When calling this function we already know a cookie called 'token' exists
- * And want to extract its value
- */
-function getTokenFromCookie(cookieContents: string): string | undefined {
-  // Fast path: check if the hashed password is directly in the cookie string
-  // This avoids JSON parsing for the common case
+function getTokenFromCookies(cookies: string | Record<string, unknown> | undefined): string | undefined {
+  const cookieContents = typeof cookies === 'string' ? parseCookie(cookies).token : cookies?.token;
+  if (typeof cookieContents !== 'string') {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+
+  // Fast path: avoid JSON parsing when the expected token can be found directly
   const cookieTokenString = '"token":"' + hashedPassword + '}"';
   if (cookieTokenString && cookieContents.includes(cookieTokenString)) {
     return hashedPassword;
   }
 
-  // Fallback to JSON parsing for other cases or validation
   try {
     const cookie = JSON.parse(cookieContents);
     if (cookie && typeof cookie.token === 'string') {
@@ -203,3 +184,29 @@ function getTokenFromCookie(cookieContents: string): string | undefined {
     // no error handling to do here
   }
 }
+
+function getTokenFromAuthHeader(authorization: string | undefined): string | undefined {
+  if (authorization?.startsWith('Bearer ')) {
+    return authorization.slice(7);
+  }
+}
+
+function getTokenFromParams(
+  params: string | Record<string, unknown> | undefined,
+  host?: string,
+): string | undefined {
+  if (typeof params !== 'string') {
+    return typeof params?.token === 'string' ? params.token : undefined;
+  }
+
+  // Fast path for WebSocket URLs
+  if (params.includes(`token=${hashedPassword}`)) {
+    return hashedPassword;
+  }
+
+  try {
+    return new URL(params, `http://${host}`).searchParams.get('token') ?? undefined;
+  } catch (_) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+}

apps/server/src/services/__tests__/timerUtils.test.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
-import { EndAction, Instant, Playback, TimeOfDay, TimeStrategy, TimerPhase, TimerType } from 'ontime-types';
+import { EndAction, Playback, TimeOfDay, TimeStrategy, TimerPhase, TimerType } from 'ontime-types';
 import { MILLIS_PER_HOUR, MILLIS_PER_MINUTE, MILLIS_PER_SECOND, dayInMs, millisToString } from 'ontime-utils';
 
-import * as timeCore from '../../lib/time-core/timeCore.js';
 import type { RuntimeState } from '../../stores/runtimeState.js';
 import {
   findDayOffset,
@@ -54,12 +53,11 @@ describe('getElapsed()', () => {
   it('uses the current pause start while paused', () => {
     const state = {
       clock: 10 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE,
-      _now: timeCore.toInstant((10 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE) as TimeOfDay, timeCore.now()),
       timer: {
         startedAt: 2 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE,
       },
       _timer: {
-        pausedAt: timeCore.toInstant((7 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE) as TimeOfDay, timeCore.now()),
+        pausedAt: 7 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE,
         pausedDuration: 1 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE,
       },
     } as RuntimeState;
@@ -977,40 +975,6 @@ describe('getRuntimeOffset()', () => {
     expect(absolute).toBe(25);
   });
 
-  it('paused time is delayed time when the pause spans midnight', () => {
-    const state = {
-      eventNow: {
-        id: '1',
-        timeStart: 23 * MILLIS_PER_HOUR, // 23:00
-        timeEnd: 1 * MILLIS_PER_HOUR, // 01:00
-        dayOffset: 0,
-      },
-      clock: 3 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE, // 00:03 (after midnight)
-      _now: timeCore.toInstant((3 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE) as TimeOfDay, timeCore.now()),
-      timer: {
-        startedAt: 23 * MILLIS_PER_HOUR, // started on time at 23:00
-        current: 25, // still counting down
-        addedTime: 0,
-      },
-      _timer: {
-        pausedAt: timeCore.toInstant(
-          (23 * MILLIS_PER_HOUR + 58 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE) as TimeOfDay,
-          (timeCore.now() - dayInMs) as Instant,
-        ), // 23:58, before midnight
-        pausedDuration: 0,
-      },
-      rundown: {
-        actualStart: 23 * MILLIS_PER_HOUR,
-        plannedStart: 23 * MILLIS_PER_HOUR,
-        currentDay: 0,
-      },
-      _startDayOffset: 0,
-    } as RuntimeState;
-
-    // paused from 23:58 to 00:03 -> so elapsed should still be 58 minutes
-    expect(getElapsed(state)).toBe(58 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE);
-  });
-
   it('offset doesnt exist if we havent started', () => {
     const state = {
       clock: 78480789,

apps/server/src/services/timerUtils.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import { Day, MaybeNumber, TimeOfDay, TimerPhase } from 'ontime-types';
 import { MILLIS_PER_HOUR, checkIsNow, dayInMs, isPlaybackActive } from 'ontime-utils';
 
-import * as timeCore from '../lib/time-core/timeCore.js';
 import type { RuntimeState } from '../stores/runtimeState.js';
 
 /**
@@ -97,18 +96,17 @@ export function getCurrent(state: RuntimeState): number {
  * Calculates active time elapsed since the timer started.
  */
 export function getElapsed(state: RuntimeState): MaybeNumber {
-  const { clock, _now } = state;
+  const { clock } = state;
   const { startedAt } = state.timer;
-  const { pausedDuration, pausedAt } = state._timer;
+  const { pausedAt, pausedDuration } = state._timer;
 
   if (startedAt === null) {
     return null;
   }
 
-  const currentPauseDuration = pausedAt !== null ? timeCore.timeSince(_now, pausedAt) : 0;
-
-  const elapsedSinceStart = getTimeSinceStart(clock, startedAt);
-  const activeElapsed = elapsedSinceStart - pausedDuration - currentPauseDuration;
+  const referenceClock = pausedAt ?? clock;
+  const elapsedSinceStart = getTimeSinceStart(referenceClock, startedAt);
+  const activeElapsed = elapsedSinceStart - pausedDuration;
 
   return Math.max(0, activeElapsed);
 }

apps/server/src/stores/__mocks__/runtimeState.mocks.ts

@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
-import { Instant, OffsetMode, Playback, type TimeOfDay, TimerPhase } from 'ontime-types';
+import { OffsetMode, Playback, type TimeOfDay, TimerPhase } from 'ontime-types';
 import { deepmerge } from 'ontime-utils';
 
 import type { RuntimeState } from '../runtimeState.js';
 
 const baseState: RuntimeState = {
   clock: 0 as TimeOfDay,
-  _now: 0 as Instant,
   eventNow: null,
   eventNext: null,
   eventFlag: null,

apps/server/src/stores/__tests__/runtimeState.test.ts

@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ describe('mutation on runtimeState', () => {
         playback: Playback.Pause,
         addedTime: 0,
       });
-      expect(newState._timer.pausedAt).toEqual(newState._now);
+      expect(newState._timer.pausedAt).toEqual(newState.clock);
 
       success = pause();
       expect(success).toBe(false);
@@ -248,59 +248,6 @@ describe('mutation on runtimeState', () => {
       state = getState();
       expect(state.timer.elapsed).toBe(3 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE);
     });
-
-    test('elapsed excludes a pause that spans midnight', async () => {
-      clearState();
-      // an event that runs over midnight (23:00 -> 01:00)
-      const event = {
-        ...mockEvent,
-        id: 'elapsed-pause-midnight',
-        timeStart: 23 * MILLIS_PER_HOUR,
-        timeEnd: 1 * MILLIS_PER_HOUR,
-        duration: 2 * MILLIS_PER_HOUR,
-      };
-      const mockRundown = makeRundown({
-        entries: { [event.id]: event },
-        order: [event.id],
-      });
-
-      await initRundown(mockRundown, {});
-      vi.runAllTimers();
-
-      const { metadata, rundown } = rundownCache.get();
-
-      // start before midnight
-      vi.setSystemTime('jan 1 23:50');
-      load(event, rundown, metadata);
-      start();
-
-      // 8 minutes of active running before we pause
-      vi.setSystemTime('jan 1 23:58');
-      update();
-      expect(getState().timer.elapsed).toBe(8 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE);
-      pause();
-
-      // elapsed is active time since start, so it must not advance while paused,
-      // not even when the pause itself crosses midnight
-      vi.setSystemTime('jan 2 00:01');
-      update();
-      expect(getState().timer.elapsed).toBe(8 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE);
-
-      // resume 5 minutes after pausing, having crossed midnight (23:58 -> 00:03)
-      vi.setSystemTime('jan 2 00:03');
-      start();
-      let state = getState();
-      // the accumulated pause count is 5 minutes, regardless of the midnight wrap
-      expect(state._timer.pausedDuration).toBe(5 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE);
-      // and elapsed still reflects only the 8 active minutes
-      expect(state.timer.elapsed).toBe(8 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE);
-
-      // 2 more active minutes after resume -> 10 minutes elapsed
-      vi.setSystemTime('jan 2 00:05');
-      update();
-      state = getState();
-      expect(state.timer.elapsed).toBe(10 * MILLIS_PER_MINUTE);
-    });
   });
 
   test('runtime offset', async () => {

apps/server/src/stores/runtimeState.ts

@@ -63,9 +63,7 @@ export type RuntimeState = {
   // private properties of the timer calculations
   _timer: {
     forceFinish: Maybe<TimeOfDay>; // whether we should declare an event as finished, will contain the finish time
-    pausedAt: Maybe<Instant>;
-
-    /** Accumulate pause duration but dose not include the current pause */
+    pausedAt: Maybe<TimeOfDay>;
     pausedDuration: number;
     secondaryTarget: Maybe<TimeOfDay>;
     hasFinished: boolean;
@@ -78,12 +76,10 @@ export type RuntimeState = {
   _end: ExpectedMetadata;
   _startEpoch: Maybe<Instant>;
   _startDayOffset: Maybe<Day>;
-  _now: Instant;
 };
 
 const runtimeState: RuntimeState = {
   clock: timeCore.timeOfDayNow(),
-  _now: timeCore.now(),
   groupNow: null,
   eventNow: null,
   eventNext: null,
@@ -108,12 +104,6 @@ const runtimeState: RuntimeState = {
   _startDayOffset: null,
 };
 
-/** set the current clock to ensure parity between _now and clock */
-function setClock(state: RuntimeState) {
-  state._now = timeCore.now();
-  state.clock = timeCore.toTimeOfDay(state._now);
-}
-
 export function getState(): Readonly<RuntimeState> {
   // create a shallow copy of the state
   return {
@@ -146,7 +136,7 @@ export function clearEventData() {
   runtimeState.rundown.selectedEventIndex = null;
 
   runtimeState.timer.playback = Playback.Stop;
-  setClock(runtimeState);
+  runtimeState.clock = timeCore.timeOfDayNow();
   runtimeState.timer = { ...runtimeStorePlaceholder.timer };
 
   // when clearing, we maintain the total delay from the rundown
@@ -179,7 +169,7 @@ export function clearState() {
   runtimeState._end = null;
 
   runtimeState.timer.playback = Playback.Stop;
-  setClock(runtimeState);
+  runtimeState.clock = timeCore.timeOfDayNow();
   runtimeState.timer = { ...runtimeStorePlaceholder.timer };
 
   // when clearing, we maintain the total delay from the rundown
@@ -432,12 +422,15 @@ export function start(state: RuntimeState = runtimeState): boolean {
     return false;
   }
 
-  setClock(state);
+  const epoch = timeCore.now();
+  const now = timeCore.toTimeOfDay(epoch);
+
+  state.clock = now;
   state.timer.secondaryTimer = null;
 
   // add paused time if it exists
   if (state._timer.pausedAt) {
-    const timeToAdd = state._now - state._timer.pausedAt;
+    const timeToAdd = state.clock - state._timer.pausedAt;
     state.timer.addedTime += timeToAdd;
     state._timer.pausedDuration += timeToAdd;
     state._timer.pausedAt = null;
@@ -454,7 +447,7 @@ export function start(state: RuntimeState = runtimeState): boolean {
   if (state.rundown.actualStart === null) {
     state._startDayOffset = (findDayOffset(state.eventNow.timeStart, state.clock) + state.eventNow.dayOffset) as Day;
     state.rundown.currentDay = state._startDayOffset;
-    state._startEpoch = state._now;
+    state._startEpoch = epoch;
     state.rundown.actualStart = state.clock;
   }
 
@@ -488,8 +481,8 @@ export function pause(state: RuntimeState = runtimeState): boolean {
   }
 
   state.timer.playback = Playback.Pause;
-  setClock(state);
-  state._timer.pausedAt = state._now;
+  state.clock = timeCore.timeOfDayNow();
+  state._timer.pausedAt = state.clock;
   return true;
 }
 
@@ -554,7 +547,9 @@ export type UpdateResult = {
 export function update(): UpdateResult {
   // 0. there are some things we always do
   const previousClock = runtimeState.clock;
-  setClock(runtimeState); // we update the clock on every update call
+  const epoch = timeCore.now();
+  const now = timeCore.toTimeOfDay(epoch);
+  runtimeState.clock = now; // we update the clock on every update call
 
   // 1. is playback idle?
   if (!isPlaybackActive(runtimeState.timer.playback)) {
@@ -563,13 +558,13 @@ export function update(): UpdateResult {
 
   // calculate currentDay from epoch (days elapsed since playback was started)
   if (runtimeState._startEpoch !== null && runtimeState._startDayOffset !== null) {
-    const daysSinceStart = timeCore.daysSinceStart(runtimeState._startEpoch, runtimeState._now);
+    const daysSinceStart = timeCore.daysSinceStart(runtimeState._startEpoch, epoch);
     runtimeState.rundown.currentDay = runtimeState._startDayOffset + daysSinceStart;
   }
 
   // 2. are we waiting to roll?
   if (runtimeState.timer.playback === Playback.Roll && runtimeState.timer.secondaryTimer !== null) {
-    const clockHasCrossedMidnight = hasCrossedMidnight(previousClock, runtimeState.clock);
+    const clockHasCrossedMidnight = hasCrossedMidnight(previousClock, now);
     return updateIfWaitingToRoll(clockHasCrossedMidnight);
   }