diff --git a/src/musikdroid/app/src/main/java/io/casey/musikcube/remote/playback/StreamingPlaybackService.java b/src/musikdroid/app/src/main/java/io/casey/musikcube/remote/playback/StreamingPlaybackService.java
index 3304e2c06..8512b6fcf 100644
--- a/src/musikdroid/app/src/main/java/io/casey/musikcube/remote/playback/StreamingPlaybackService.java
+++ b/src/musikdroid/app/src/main/java/io/casey/musikcube/remote/playback/StreamingPlaybackService.java
@@ -228,7 +228,11 @@ public class StreamingPlaybackService implements PlaybackService {
         if (state != PlaybackState.Paused) {
             schedulePausedShutdown();
             killAudioFocus();
-            context.currentPlayer.pause();
+
+            if (context.currentPlayer != null) {
+                context.currentPlayer.pause();
+            }
+
             setState(PlaybackState.Paused);
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/plugins/websocket_remote/WebSocketServer.cpp b/src/plugins/websocket_remote/WebSocketServer.cpp
index 3060f0c51..1a6aa7a19 100644
--- a/src/plugins/websocket_remote/WebSocketServer.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/websocket_remote/WebSocketServer.cpp
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@
 #include "WebSocketServer.h"
 #include "Constants.h"
 
+#include <iostream>
+
 #include <core/sdk/constants.h>
 
 #include <boost/format.hpp>
@@ -334,8 +336,15 @@ void WebSocketServer::Broadcast(const std::string& name, json& options) {
     std::string str = msg.dump();
 
     auto rl = connectionLock.Read();
-    for (const auto &keyValue : this->connections) {
-        wss->send(keyValue.first, str.c_str(), websocketpp::frame::opcode::text);
+    try {
+        if (wss) {
+            for (const auto &keyValue : this->connections) {
+                wss->send(keyValue.first, str.c_str(), websocketpp::frame::opcode::text);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    catch (...) {
+        std::cerr << "broadcast failed (stale connection?)\n";
     }
 }