diff --git a/qt/aqt/sound.py b/qt/aqt/sound.py
index ecf3f73cf..2c783d72d 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/sound.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/sound.py
@@ -129,7 +129,6 @@ class AVPlayer:
     def _stop_if_playing(self) -> None:
         if self.current_player:
             self.current_player.stop()
-        self.current_player = None
 
     def _pop_next(self) -> Optional[AVTag]:
         if not self._enqueued:
@@ -235,17 +234,15 @@ class SimpleProcessPlayer(Player):  # pylint: disable=abstract-method
         self._lock = threading.Lock()
 
     def play(self, tag: AVTag, on_done: OnDoneCallback) -> None:
+        self._terminate_flag = False
         self._taskman.run_in_background(
             lambda: self._play(tag), lambda res: self._on_done(res, on_done)
         )
 
     def stop(self) -> None:
         self._terminate_flag = True
-        # block until stopped
-        t = time.time()
-        while self._terminate_flag and time.time() - t < 3:
-            time.sleep(0.1)
 
+    # note: mplayer implementation overrides this
     def _play(self, tag: AVTag) -> None:
         assert isinstance(tag, SoundOrVideoTag)
         self._process = subprocess.Popen(
@@ -264,19 +261,11 @@ class SimpleProcessPlayer(Player):  # pylint: disable=abstract-method
 
         while True:
             with self._lock:
-                # if .stop() timed out, another thread may run when
-                # there is no process
-                if not self._process:
-                    self._process = None
-                    self._terminate_flag = False
-                    return
-
                 # should we abort playing?
                 if self._terminate_flag:
                     self._process.terminate()
                     self._process = None
-                    self._terminate_flag = False
-                    raise PlayerInterrupted()
+                    return
 
                 # wait for completion
                 try:
@@ -284,17 +273,14 @@ class SimpleProcessPlayer(Player):  # pylint: disable=abstract-method
                     if self._process.returncode != 0:
                         print(f"player got return code: {self._process.returncode}")
                     self._process = None
-                    self._terminate_flag = False
                     return
                 except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
+                    # process still running, repeat loop
                     pass
 
     def _on_done(self, ret: Future, cb: OnDoneCallback) -> None:
         try:
             ret.result()
-        except PlayerInterrupted:
-            # don't fire done callback when interrupted
-            return
         except FileNotFoundError:
             showWarning(
                 _(