diff --git a/mopidy/backends/base/playback.py b/mopidy/backends/base/playback.py
index d1acc05a..2b5d7478 100644
--- a/mopidy/backends/base/playback.py
+++ b/mopidy/backends/base/playback.py
@@ -440,7 +440,10 @@ class BasePlaybackController(object):
 
         :param time_position: time position in milliseconds
         :type time_position: int
+        :rtype: :class:`True` if successful, else :class:`False`
         """
+        # FIXME I think return value is only realy usefull for internal
+        # testing, as such it should probably not be exposed in api.
         if self.state == self.STOPPED:
             self.play()
         elif self.state == self.PAUSED:
@@ -455,7 +458,7 @@ class BasePlaybackController(object):
         self._play_time_started = self._current_wall_time
         self._play_time_accumulated = time_position
 
-        self._seek(time_position)
+        return self._seek(time_position)
 
     def _seek(self, time_position):
         """
diff --git a/mopidy/backends/local/__init__.py b/mopidy/backends/local/__init__.py
index d7257cad..bd8a4301 100644
--- a/mopidy/backends/local/__init__.py
+++ b/mopidy/backends/local/__init__.py
@@ -62,9 +62,8 @@ class LocalPlaybackController(BasePlaybackController):
         return self._set_state('PLAYING')
 
     def _seek(self, time_position):
-        self._send({'command': 'set_position', 'position': time_position})
-        if self.state == self.STOPPED:
-            self._set_state('PLAYING')
+        return self._send_recv({'command': 'set_position',
+            'position': time_position})
 
     @property
     def time_position(self):
diff --git a/mopidy/outputs/gstreamer.py b/mopidy/outputs/gstreamer.py
index 655487d5..de5b7734 100644
--- a/mopidy/outputs/gstreamer.py
+++ b/mopidy/outputs/gstreamer.py
@@ -109,7 +109,9 @@ class GStreamerProcess(BaseProcess):
         elif message['command'] == 'set_volume':
             self.set_volume(message['volume'])
         elif message['command'] == 'set_position':
-            self.set_position(message['position'])
+            response = self.set_position(message['position'])
+            connection = unpickle_connection(message['reply_to'])
+            connection.send(response)
         elif message['command'] == 'get_position':
             response = self.get_position()
             connection = unpickle_connection(message['reply_to'])
@@ -191,9 +193,11 @@ class GStreamerProcess(BaseProcess):
         gst_volume.set_property('volume', volume / 100.0)
 
     def set_position(self, position):
-        self.gst_pipeline.seek_simple(gst.Format(gst.FORMAT_TIME),
+        self.gst_pipeline.get_state() # block until state changes are done
+        handeled= self.gst_pipeline.seek_simple(gst.Format(gst.FORMAT_TIME),
             gst.SEEK_FLAG_FLUSH, position * gst.MSECOND)
-        self.gst_pipeline.get_state()
+        self.gst_pipeline.get_state() # block until seek is done
+        return handeled
 
     def get_position(self):
         try: