diff --git a/src/platform/javascript/AlphaSynthWebWorkerApi.ts b/src/platform/javascript/AlphaSynthWebWorkerApi.ts
index ec7b5aa7b..cf9a496b3 100644
--- a/src/platform/javascript/AlphaSynthWebWorkerApi.ts
+++ b/src/platform/javascript/AlphaSynthWebWorkerApi.ts
@@ -207,9 +207,6 @@ export class AlphaSynthWebWorkerApi implements IAlphaSynth {
     //
     // API communicating with the web worker
     public play(): boolean {
-        if (this.state === PlayerState.Playing || !this.isReadyForPlayback) {
-            return false;
-        }
         this._output.activate();
         this._synth.postMessage({
             cmd: 'alphaSynth.play'
diff --git a/src/synth/AlphaSynth.ts b/src/synth/AlphaSynth.ts
index e3b96af8e..aa7e15267 100644
--- a/src/synth/AlphaSynth.ts
+++ b/src/synth/AlphaSynth.ts
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ export class AlphaSynth implements IAlphaSynth {
     }
 
     public play(): boolean {
-        if (this.state === PlayerState.Playing || !this.isReadyForPlayback) {
+        if (this.state === PlayerState.Playing || !this._isMidiLoaded) {
             return false;
         }
         this.output.activate();
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ export class AlphaSynth implements IAlphaSynth {
     }
 
     public pause(): void {
-        if (this.state === PlayerState.Paused || !this.isReadyForPlayback) {
+        if (this.state === PlayerState.Paused || !this._isMidiLoaded) {
             return;
         }
         Logger.debug('AlphaSynth', 'Pausing playback');
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ export class AlphaSynth implements IAlphaSynth {
     }
 
     public playPause(): void {
-        if (this.state === PlayerState.Playing || !this.isReadyForPlayback) {
+        if (this.state === PlayerState.Playing || !this._isMidiLoaded) {
             this.pause();
         } else {
             this.play();
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ export class AlphaSynth implements IAlphaSynth {
     }
 
     public stop(): void {
-        if (!this.isReadyForPlayback) {
+        if (!this._isMidiLoaded) {
             return;
         }
         Logger.debug('AlphaSynth', 'Stopping playback');