diff --git a/packages/studio/src/player/hooks/usePlaybackKeyboard.ts b/packages/studio/src/player/hooks/usePlaybackKeyboard.ts
index 3059d1ee46..17394ecb6d 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/player/hooks/usePlaybackKeyboard.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/player/hooks/usePlaybackKeyboard.ts
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ export function usePlaybackKeyboard({
 
   const shuttle = useCallback(
     (direction: "forward" | "backward") => {
+      if (usePlayerStore.getState().playLocked) return;
       if (shuttleDirectionRef.current === direction) {
         shuttleSpeedIndexRef.current = Math.min(
           shuttleSpeedIndexRef.current + 1,
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/player/hooks/useTimelinePlayer.playLock.test.ts b/packages/studio/src/player/hooks/useTimelinePlayer.playLock.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2b552488aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/studio/src/player/hooks/useTimelinePlayer.playLock.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,137 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+
+import { act } from "react";
+import { afterEach, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import {
+  makeAdapterWindow,
+  makeFakeIframe,
+  renderTimelinePlayerHarness,
+  resetPlayerStore,
+} from "./timelinePlayerTestHarness";
+import { usePlayerStore } from "../store/playerStore";
+import { scrubMusicAtSeek } from "../lib/playbackScrub";
+
+vi.mock("../lib/playbackScrub", async (importOriginal) => ({
+  ...(await importOriginal<typeof import("../lib/playbackScrub")>()),
+  scrubMusicAtSeek: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+globalThis.IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT = true;
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  document.body.innerHTML = "";
+  resetPlayerStore();
+  usePlayerStore.setState({ playLocked: false, loopEnabled: false, playbackRate: 1 });
+  vi.mocked(scrubMusicAtSeek).mockClear();
+});
+
+function readyPlayer() {
+  const { api, root } = renderTimelinePlayerHarness();
+  const { adapter, win } = makeAdapterWindow();
+  act(() => {
+    api.iframeRef.current = makeFakeIframe(win);
+    api.onIframeLoad();
+    usePlayerStore.setState({ timelineReady: true });
+  });
+  return { api, root, adapter };
+}
+
+const press = (key: string) =>
+  act(() => {
+    window.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent("keydown", { key, code: `Key${key.toUpperCase()}` }));
+  });
+
+it("starts nothing while the host holds playback: Play, a playback request or play backward", () => {
+  const { api, root, adapter } = readyPlayer();
+  act(() => usePlayerStore.getState().setPlayLocked(true));
+  act(() => api.play());
+  act(() => usePlayerStore.getState().requestPlayback(true));
+  press("j");
+  expect(adapter.play).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  expect(usePlayerStore.getState().isPlaying).toBe(false);
+  act(() => root.unmount());
+});
+
+it("J and L keep the chosen speed while the host holds playback", () => {
+  const { root } = readyPlayer();
+  act(() => usePlayerStore.getState().setPlaybackRate(0.5));
+  act(() => usePlayerStore.getState().setPlayLocked(true));
+  press("l");
+  press("j");
+  expect(usePlayerStore.getState().playbackRate).toBe(0.5);
+  act(() => root.unmount());
+});
+
+it("a looping film reaching its end while held stops instead of starting again", () => {
+  const frames: FrameRequestCallback[] = [];
+  const raf = vi.spyOn(window, "requestAnimationFrame").mockImplementation((tick) => {
+    frames.push(tick);
+    return frames.length;
+  });
+  const { api, root, adapter } = readyPlayer();
+  act(() => usePlayerStore.setState({ loopEnabled: true }));
+  act(() => api.play());
+  // Held with the store already reading stopped, so nothing pauses the frame loop first.
+  act(() => usePlayerStore.setState({ playLocked: true, isPlaying: false }));
+  adapter.seek(30);
+  act(() => frames.at(-1)!(0));
+  expect(adapter.play).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  expect(usePlayerStore.getState().isPlaying).toBe(false);
+  raf.mockRestore();
+  act(() => root.unmount());
+});
+
+it("turning the hold on before the preview has a player still clears playing", () => {
+  const { root } = renderTimelinePlayerHarness();
+  act(() => usePlayerStore.setState({ isPlaying: true }));
+  act(() => usePlayerStore.getState().setPlayLocked(true));
+  expect(usePlayerStore.getState().isPlaying).toBe(false);
+  act(() => root.unmount());
+});
+
+it("a seek that would keep playing does not resume while the host holds playback", () => {
+  const { api, root, adapter } = readyPlayer();
+  act(() => usePlayerStore.getState().setPlayLocked(true));
+  // The store still reads playing (a host that set the hold before the player caught up): only the hold stops it.
+  act(() => usePlayerStore.setState({ isPlaying: true }));
+  act(() => {
+    api.seek(5, { keepPlaying: true });
+  });
+  expect(adapter.play).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  act(() => root.unmount());
+});
+
+it("a seek while the host holds playback moves the picture without scrub audio", () => {
+  const { api, root, adapter } = readyPlayer();
+  act(() => {
+    api.seek(2);
+  });
+  expect(scrubMusicAtSeek).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  act(() => usePlayerStore.getState().setPlayLocked(true));
+  act(() => {
+    api.seek(4);
+  });
+  expect(adapter.getTime()).toBe(4);
+  expect(scrubMusicAtSeek).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  act(() => root.unmount());
+});
+
+it("a timeline reset keeps the hold: the host owns it", () => {
+  act(() => usePlayerStore.getState().setPlayLocked(true));
+  act(() => usePlayerStore.getState().reset());
+  expect(usePlayerStore.getState().playLocked).toBe(true);
+});
+
+it("turning the hold on pauses a playing film; turning it off lets Play start again", () => {
+  const { api, root, adapter } = readyPlayer();
+  act(() => api.play());
+  expect(usePlayerStore.getState().isPlaying).toBe(true);
+  act(() => usePlayerStore.getState().setPlayLocked(true));
+  expect(adapter.pause).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  expect(usePlayerStore.getState().isPlaying).toBe(false);
+  act(() => usePlayerStore.getState().setPlayLocked(false));
+  act(() => api.play());
+  expect(adapter.play).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  expect(usePlayerStore.getState().isPlaying).toBe(true);
+  act(() => root.unmount());
+});
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/player/hooks/useTimelinePlayer.ts b/packages/studio/src/player/hooks/useTimelinePlayer.ts
index bdb2fb62b8..5076efefbe 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/player/hooks/useTimelinePlayer.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/player/hooks/useTimelinePlayer.ts
@@ -200,7 +200,8 @@ export function useTimelinePlayer({
     applyPreviewAudioFlags(iframeRef.current, audioMuted, audioVolume);
   }, []);
   const play = useCallback(() => {
-    if (!usePlayerStore.getState().timelineReady) return;
+    const { timelineReady, playLocked } = usePlayerStore.getState();
+    if (!timelineReady || playLocked) return;
     stopRAFLoop();
     stopReverseLoop();
     stopScrubPreviewAudio();
@@ -286,9 +287,8 @@ export function useTimelinePlayer({
   const pause = useCallback(() => {
     stopReverseLoop();
     const adapter = getAdapter();
-    if (!adapter) return;
-    adapter.pause();
-    setCurrentTime(adapter.getTime()); // sync store so Split/Delete have accurate time
+    adapter?.pause();
+    if (adapter) setCurrentTime(adapter.getTime()); // sync store so Split/Delete have accurate time
     setIsPlaying(false);
     shuttleDirectionRef.current = null;
     shuttleSpeedIndexRef.current = 0;
@@ -306,17 +306,19 @@ export function useTimelinePlayer({
       const duration = Math.max(0, adapter.getDuration());
       const nextTime = clampToDuration(time, duration);
       const keepPlaying = options?.keepPlaying === true;
+      const { playLocked, isPlaying: storeWasPlaying } = usePlayerStore.getState();
       const shouldResumeAfterSeek = shouldResumeForwardPlaybackAfterSeek({
         keepPlaying,
         wasReverseShuttle,
-        storeWasPlaying: usePlayerStore.getState().isPlaying,
+        storeWasPlaying,
         duration,
         nextTime,
+        playLocked,
       });
       adapter.seek(nextTime, options);
       publishSeek(nextTime, options); // Direct DOM updates (playhead, timecode, progress) — no re-render
       setCurrentTime(nextTime); // sync store so Split/Delete have accurate time
-      if (!shouldResumeAfterSeek && !keepPlaying) scrubMusicAtSeek(iframeRef.current, nextTime);
+      if (!keepPlaying && !playLocked) scrubMusicAtSeek(iframeRef.current, nextTime);
       if (shouldResumeAfterSeek) {
         stopRAFLoop();
         applyPlaybackRate(usePlayerStore.getState().playbackRate);
@@ -349,6 +351,13 @@ export function useTimelinePlayer({
     ],
   );
 
+  useEffect(
+    () =>
+      usePlayerStore.subscribe((state, prev) => {
+        if (state.playLocked && !prev.playLocked && state.isPlaying) pause();
+      }),
+    [pause],
+  );
   useEffect(() => {
     return usePlayerStore.subscribe((state, prev) => {
       if (state.requestedSeekTime !== null && state.requestedSeekTime !== prev.requestedSeekTime) {
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/player/hooks/useTimelinePlayerLoop.ts b/packages/studio/src/player/hooks/useTimelinePlayerLoop.ts
index 306b326d38..cd1c3d853d 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/player/hooks/useTimelinePlayerLoop.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/player/hooks/useTimelinePlayerLoop.ts
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ export function useTimelinePlayerLoop({
         const looping = usePlayerStore.getState().loopEnabled && dur > 0;
         setLoopStart(looping ? loopStart : null);
         if (time >= loopEnd) {
-          if (looping) {
+          if (looping && !usePlayerStore.getState().playLocked) {
             // keepPlaying skips the adapter's implicit pause; play() below is then a no-op.
             adapter.seek(loopStart, { keepPlaying: true });
             liveTime.notify(loopStart);
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/player/lib/playbackSeek.ts b/packages/studio/src/player/lib/playbackSeek.ts
index b41c870b31..f0cc313359 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/player/lib/playbackSeek.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/player/lib/playbackSeek.ts
@@ -4,8 +4,10 @@ export function shouldResumeForwardPlaybackAfterSeek(input: {
   storeWasPlaying: boolean;
   duration: number;
   nextTime: number;
+  playLocked: boolean;
 }): boolean {
   return (
+    !input.playLocked &&
     input.keepPlaying &&
     !input.wasReverseShuttle &&
     input.storeWasPlaying &&
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/player/store/readinessSlice.ts b/packages/studio/src/player/store/readinessSlice.ts
index 7582e89f1e..e769c1144b 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/player/store/readinessSlice.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/player/store/readinessSlice.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ export interface PlaybackReadinessSlice {
   previewBooted: boolean;
   setTimelineReady: (ready: boolean) => void;
   markPreviewBooted: () => void;
+  playLocked: boolean;
+  setPlayLocked: (locked: boolean) => void;
   /** Sets timelineReady once doc's readiness inputs settle, or immediately
    *  if doc is null. A wait a later call supersedes never wins the race.
    *  Waits for doc's load step first: it pauses and rewinds the preview, so a
@@ -47,6 +49,8 @@ export function createPlaybackReadinessSlice(
     timelineReady: false,
     previewBooted: false,
     markPreviewBooted: () => set({ previewBooted: true }),
+    playLocked: false,
+    setPlayLocked: (locked) => set({ playLocked: locked }),
     setTimelineReady: (ready) => {
       timelineReadyGeneration++;
       set({ timelineReady: ready });