diff --git a/mopidy/backends/__init__.py b/mopidy/backends/__init__.py
index 35ecab78..34c3ff88 100644
--- a/mopidy/backends/__init__.py
+++ b/mopidy/backends/__init__.py
@@ -122,7 +122,8 @@ class BasePlaybackController(object):
             self.play(self.next_track)
 
     def previous(self):
-        self.play(self.previous_track)
+        if self.previous_track:
+            self.play(self.previous_track)
 
     def pause(self):
         raise NotImplementedError
diff --git a/tests/backends/basetests.py b/tests/backends/basetests.py
index da48770a..95259dba 100644
--- a/tests/backends/basetests.py
+++ b/tests/backends/basetests.py
@@ -339,8 +339,8 @@ class BasePlaybackControllerTest(object):
     def test_previous_at_start_of_playlist(self):
         tracks = self.backend.current_playlist.playlist.tracks
         self.playback.previous()
-        self.assertEqual(self.playback.state, self.playback.PLAYING)
-        self.assertEqual(self.playback.current_track, tracks[0])
+        self.assertEqual(self.playback.state, self.playback.STOPPED)
+        self.assertEqual(self.playback.current_track, None)
 
     def test_previous_for_empty_playlist(self):
         self.playback.previous()