diff --git a/mopidy/audio/actor.py b/mopidy/audio/actor.py
index 7437824c..eab8a3cc 100644
--- a/mopidy/audio/actor.py
+++ b/mopidy/audio/actor.py
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ class Audio(pykka.ThreadingActor):
 
     #: The GStreamer state mapped to :class:`mopidy.audio.PlaybackState`
     state = PlaybackState.STOPPED
+    _target_state = gst.STATE_NULL
 
     def __init__(self, config):
         super(Audio, self).__init__()
@@ -101,6 +102,9 @@ class Audio(pykka.ThreadingActor):
         playbin = gst.element_factory_make('playbin2')
         playbin.set_property('flags', PLAYBIN_FLAGS)
 
+        playbin.set_property('buffer-size', 2*1024*1024)
+        playbin.set_property('buffer-duration', 2*gst.SECOND)
+
         self._connect(playbin, 'about-to-finish', self._on_about_to_finish)
         self._connect(playbin, 'notify::source', self._on_new_source)
 
@@ -279,6 +283,10 @@ class Audio(pykka.ThreadingActor):
             self._on_playbin_state_changed(old_state, new_state, pending_state)
         elif message.type == gst.MESSAGE_BUFFERING:
             percent = message.parse_buffering()
+            if percent < 10:
+                self._playbin.set_state(gst.STATE_PAUSED)
+            if percent == 100 and self._target_state == gst.STATE_PLAYING:
+                self._playbin.set_state(gst.STATE_PLAYING)
             logger.debug('Buffer %d%% full', percent)
         elif message.type == gst.MESSAGE_EOS:
             self._on_end_of_stream()
@@ -471,6 +479,7 @@ class Audio(pykka.ThreadingActor):
         :type state: :class:`gst.State`
         :rtype: :class:`True` if successfull, else :class:`False`
         """
+        self._target_state = state
         result = self._playbin.set_state(state)
         if result == gst.STATE_CHANGE_FAILURE:
             logger.warning(
diff --git a/tests/audio/test_actor.py b/tests/audio/test_actor.py
index 3e4fe694..4359f71a 100644
--- a/tests/audio/test_actor.py
+++ b/tests/audio/test_actor.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
+from mock import Mock
 import unittest
 
 import gobject
@@ -158,3 +159,35 @@ class AudioStateTest(unittest.TestCase):
         #     gst.STATE_READY, gst.STATE_NULL, gst.STATE_VOID_PENDING)
 
         self.assertEqual(audio.PlaybackState.STOPPED, self.audio.state)
+
+
+class AudioBufferingTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.audio = audio.Audio(config=None)
+        self.audio._playbin = Mock(spec=['set_state'])
+
+        self.buffer_full_message = Mock()
+        self.buffer_full_message.type = gst.MESSAGE_BUFFERING
+        self.buffer_full_message.parse_buffering = Mock(return_value=100)
+
+        self.buffer_empty_message = Mock()
+        self.buffer_empty_message.type = gst.MESSAGE_BUFFERING
+        self.buffer_empty_message.parse_buffering = Mock(return_value=0)
+
+    def test_pause_when_buffer_empty(self):
+        playbin = self.audio._playbin
+        self.audio.start_playback()
+        playbin.set_state.assert_called_with(gst.STATE_PLAYING)
+        playbin.set_state.reset_mock()
+
+        self.audio._on_message(None, self.buffer_empty_message)
+        playbin.set_state.assert_called_with(gst.STATE_PAUSED)
+
+    def test_stay_paused_when_buffering_finished(self):
+        playbin = self.audio._playbin
+        self.audio.pause_playback()
+        playbin.set_state.assert_called_with(gst.STATE_PAUSED)
+        playbin.set_state.reset_mock()
+
+        self.audio._on_message(None, self.buffer_full_message)
+        self.assertEqual(playbin.set_state.call_count, 0)