diff --git a/mopidy/backends/gstreamer.py b/mopidy/backends/gstreamer.py
index 314f4255..aa6b3646 100644
--- a/mopidy/backends/gstreamer.py
+++ b/mopidy/backends/gstreamer.py
@@ -43,10 +43,19 @@ class GStreamerPlaybackController(BasePlaybackController):
         self.bin = bin
 
     def play(self, id=None, position=None):
-        if not self.current_track:
+        playlist = self.backend.current_playlist.playlist
+
+        if not self.current_track and not playlist.tracks:
             return False
+        elif playlist.tracks:
+            self.current_track = playlist.tracks[0]
+            self.playlist_position = 0
 
         self.bin.set_property("uri", self.current_track.uri)
         self.bin.set_state(self.PLAYING)
+        self.state = self.PLAYING
 
         return True
+
+    def next(self):
+        pass
diff --git a/tests/backends/__init__.py b/tests/backends/__init__.py
index e19f12c1..bb206ec3 100644
--- a/tests/backends/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/backends/__init__.py
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ class BasePlaybackControllerTest(object):
     def test_next(self):
         playback = self.backend.playback
 
+        playback.play()
+
         old_position = playback.playlist_position
         old_uri = playback.current_track.uri