diff --git a/openlp/core/ui/generaltab.py b/openlp/core/ui/generaltab.py
index 9a241473a..be02b3caa 100644
--- a/openlp/core/ui/generaltab.py
+++ b/openlp/core/ui/generaltab.py
@@ -170,6 +170,15 @@ class GeneralTab(SettingsTab):
         self.customHeightValueEdit.setMaximum(9999)
         self.displayLayout.addWidget(self.customHeightValueEdit, 4, 3)
         self.rightLayout.addWidget(self.displayGroupBox)
+        # Background audio
+        self.audioGroupBox = QtGui.QGroupBox(self.rightColumn)
+        self.audioGroupBox.setObjectName(u'audioGroupBox')
+        self.audioLayout = QtGui.QVBoxLayout(self.audioGroupBox)
+        self.audioLayout.setObjectName(u'audioLayout')
+        self.startPausedCheckBox = QtGui.QCheckBox(self.audioGroupBox)
+        self.startPausedCheckBox.setObjectName(u'startPausedCheckBox')
+        self.audioLayout.addWidget(self.startPausedCheckBox)
+        self.rightLayout.addWidget(self.audioGroupBox)
         self.rightLayout.addStretch()
         # Signals and slots
         QtCore.QObject.connect(self.overrideCheckBox,
@@ -243,6 +252,10 @@ class GeneralTab(SettingsTab):
         self.customYLabel.setText(translate('OpenLP.GeneralTab', 'Y'))
         self.customHeightLabel.setText(translate('OpenLP.GeneralTab', 'Height'))
         self.customWidthLabel.setText(translate('OpenLP.GeneralTab', 'Width'))
+        self.audioGroupBox.setTitle(
+            translate('OpenLP.GeneralTab', 'Background Audio'))
+        self.startPausedCheckBox.setText(
+            translate('OpenLP.GeneralTab', 'Start background audio paused'))
 
     def load(self):
         """
@@ -290,6 +303,8 @@ class GeneralTab(SettingsTab):
             QtCore.QVariant(self.screens.current[u'size'].height())).toInt()[0])
         self.customWidthValueEdit.setValue(settings.value(u'width',
             QtCore.QVariant(self.screens.current[u'size'].width())).toInt()[0])
+        self.startPausedCheckBox.setChecked(settings.value(
+            u'audio start paused', QtCore.QVariant(True)).toBool())
         settings.endGroup()
         self.customXValueEdit.setEnabled(self.overrideCheckBox.isChecked())
         self.customYValueEdit.setEnabled(self.overrideCheckBox.isChecked())
@@ -341,6 +356,8 @@ class GeneralTab(SettingsTab):
             QtCore.QVariant(self.customWidthValueEdit.value()))
         settings.setValue(u'override position',
             QtCore.QVariant(self.overrideCheckBox.isChecked()))
+        settings.setValue(u'audio start paused',
+            QtCore.QVariant(self.startPausedCheckBox.isChecked()))
         settings.endGroup()
         # On save update the screens as well
         self.postSetUp(True)
diff --git a/openlp/core/ui/slidecontroller.py b/openlp/core/ui/slidecontroller.py
index 3171d67d3..6615d0e35 100644
--- a/openlp/core/ui/slidecontroller.py
+++ b/openlp/core/ui/slidecontroller.py
@@ -633,7 +633,14 @@ class SlideController(QtGui.QWidget):
                 log.debug(u'Starting to play...')
                 self.display.audioPlayer.addToPlaylist(
                     self.serviceItem.background_audio)
-                self.display.audioPlayer.play()
+                if QtCore.QSettings().value(
+                    self.parent().generalSettingsSection + \
+                        u'/audio start paused',
+                    QtCore.QVariant(True)).toBool():
+                    self.audioPauseItem.setChecked(True)
+                    self.display.audioPlayer.pause()
+                else:
+                    self.display.audioPlayer.play()
                 self.setAudioItemsVisibility(True)
         row = 0
         text = []