diff --git a/mopidy/backends/base.py b/mopidy/backends/base.py
index 657c33dd..54339ecd 100644
--- a/mopidy/backends/base.py
+++ b/mopidy/backends/base.py
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
-
 class BaseBackend(object):
+    PLAY = u'play'
+    PAUSE = u'pause'
+    STOP = u'stop'
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.state = self.STOP
+
     def current_song(self):
         return None
 
@@ -29,7 +35,7 @@ class BaseBackend(object):
         return 0
 
     def status_state(self):
-        return 'stop'
+        return self.state
 
 # Control methods
     def stop(self):
diff --git a/mopidy/backends/spotify.py b/mopidy/backends/spotify.py
index da5b4342..b01c2688 100644
--- a/mopidy/backends/spotify.py
+++ b/mopidy/backends/spotify.py
@@ -8,10 +8,6 @@ from mopidy.backends.base import BaseBackend
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(u'backends.spotify')
 
-PLAY = u'play'
-PAUSE = u'pause'
-STOP = u'stop'
-
 def encode(string):
     return string.encode('utf-8')
 
@@ -21,7 +17,6 @@ def decode(string):
 class SpotifyBackend(BaseBackend):
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         super(SpotifyBackend, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
-        self.mode = STOP
         logger.info(u'Connecting to Spotify')
         self.spotify = spytify.Spytify(self._username, self._password)
         logger.info(u'Preloading data')
@@ -96,11 +91,11 @@ class SpotifyBackend(BaseBackend):
 
     def current_song(self):
         track = self.spotify.current_track
-        if track is not None and self.mode in (PLAY, PAUSE):
+        if track is not None and self.state in (self.PLAY, self.PAUSE):
             return self._format_track(track)
 
     def play_id(self, songid):
-        self.mode = PLAY
+        self.state = self.PLAY
         track = self._current_playlist[songid]
         self.spotify.play(track)
 
@@ -131,7 +126,7 @@ class SpotifyBackend(BaseBackend):
             return self._format_playlist(self._current_playlist)
 
     def stop(self):
-        self.mode = STOP
+        self.state = self.STOP
         self.spotify.stop()
 
     def status_playlist(self):