diff --git a/GUI/MainWindow.xaml b/GUI/MainWindow.xaml
index daa8abcf..41ad0aa9 100644
--- a/GUI/MainWindow.xaml
+++ b/GUI/MainWindow.xaml
@@ -251,6 +251,12 @@
                     <TextBlock x:Name="appStatusText"/>
                 </StatusBarItem>
                 <Separator Width="1"/>
+                <StatusBarItem x:Name="appPlaybackControl" Visibility="Collapsed">
+                    <Button Width="19" Height="19" HorizontalAlignment="Left" VerticalAlignment="Top"
+                            Command="{x:Static local:Commands.StopPlayback}">
+                        <Rectangle Stretch="Fill" Fill="Black" Width="8" Height="8"/>
+                    </Button>
+                </StatusBarItem>
                 <StatusBarItem>
                     <TextBlock x:Name="appResourceText"/>
                 </StatusBarItem>
@@ -404,6 +410,7 @@
         <CommandBinding Command="{x:Static local:Commands.HideToolBar}" Executed="HideToolBarExec" CanExecute="CanExecuteAlways"/>
         <CommandBinding Command="{x:Static local:Commands.About}"      Executed="AboutExec"      CanExecute="CanExecuteAlways"/>
         <CommandBinding Command="{x:Static local:Commands.CheckUpdates}" Executed="CheckUpdatesExec" CanExecute="CanExecuteUpdate"/>
+        <CommandBinding Command="{x:Static local:Commands.StopPlayback}" Executed="StopPlaybackExec" CanExecute="CanExecutePlaybackControl"/>
         <CommandBinding Command="{x:Static local:Commands.Exit}"       Executed="ExitExec"       CanExecute="CanExecuteAlways"/>
     </Window.CommandBindings>
 </Window>
diff --git a/GUI/MainWindow.xaml.cs b/GUI/MainWindow.xaml.cs
index f1a3b90b..aae12bce 100644
--- a/GUI/MainWindow.xaml.cs
+++ b/GUI/MainWindow.xaml.cs
@@ -988,17 +988,19 @@ namespace GARbro.GUI
                     }
                     CurrentAudio = new WaveStreamImpl (sound);
                     AudioDevice = new WaveOutEvent();
-                    if ("wav" == sound.SourceFormat)
+                    // conversion to sample provider somehow removes crackling at the end of WAV sound clips.
+                    if ("wav" == sound.SourceFormat || 8 == sound.Format.BitsPerSample)
                         AudioDevice.Init (CurrentAudio.ToSampleProvider());
                     else
                         AudioDevice.Init (CurrentAudio);
                     AudioDevice.PlaybackStopped += OnPlaybackStopped;
                     AudioDevice.Play();
-                    input = null;
+                    appPlaybackControl.Visibility = Visibility.Visible;
                     var fmt = CurrentAudio.WaveFormat;
                     SetResourceText (string.Format (guiStrings.MsgPlaying, entry.Name,
                                                     fmt.SampleRate, sound.SourceBitrate / 1000,
                                                     CurrentAudio.TotalTime.ToString ("m':'ss")));
+                    input = null;
                 }
                 finally
                 {
@@ -1014,12 +1016,19 @@ namespace GARbro.GUI
             }
         }
 
+        private void StopPlaybackExec (object sender, ExecutedRoutedEventArgs e)
+        {
+            if (AudioDevice != null)
+                AudioDevice.Stop();
+        }
+
         private void OnPlaybackStopped (object sender, StoppedEventArgs e)
         {
             try
             {
                 SetResourceText ("");
                 CurrentAudio = null;
+                appPlaybackControl.Visibility = Visibility.Collapsed;
             }
             catch (Exception X)
             {
@@ -1298,6 +1307,11 @@ namespace GARbro.GUI
             e.CanExecute = CurrentDirectory.SelectedIndex != -1;
         }
 
+        private void CanExecutePlaybackControl (object sender, CanExecuteRoutedEventArgs e)
+        {
+            e.CanExecute = CurrentAudio != null;
+        }
+
         private void CanExecuteConvertMedia (object sender, CanExecuteRoutedEventArgs e)
         {
             if (CurrentDirectory.SelectedItems.Count >= 1)
@@ -1504,5 +1518,6 @@ namespace GARbro.GUI
         public static readonly RoutedCommand SetFileType = new RoutedCommand();
         public static readonly RoutedCommand NextItem = new RoutedCommand();
         public static readonly RoutedCommand CopyNames = new RoutedCommand();
+        public static readonly RoutedCommand StopPlayback = new RoutedCommand();
     }
 }