diff --git a/mopidy/backends/__init__.py b/mopidy/backends/__init__.py
index 781b63f4..35ecab78 100644
--- a/mopidy/backends/__init__.py
+++ b/mopidy/backends/__init__.py
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ class BasePlaybackController(object):
 
     state = STOPPED
     repeat = False
+    shuffle = False
     
     def __init__(self, backend):
         self.backend = backend
diff --git a/tests/backends/basetests.py b/tests/backends/basetests.py
index f455fed5..da48770a 100644
--- a/tests/backends/basetests.py
+++ b/tests/backends/basetests.py
@@ -687,3 +687,6 @@ class BasePlaybackControllerTest(object):
 
     def test_repeat_off_by_default(self):
         self.assertEqual(self.playback.repeat, False)
+
+    def test_shufflet_off_by_default(self):
+        self.assertEqual(self.playback.shuffle, False)