diff --git a/main/ipc.js b/main/ipc.js
index c7ef71ea..7c34c7b3 100644
--- a/main/ipc.js
+++ b/main/ipc.js
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ var windows = require('./windows')
 
 var app = electron.app
 var ipcMain = electron.ipcMain
+var powerSaveBlocker = electron.powerSaveBlocker
+
+// has to be a number, not a boolean, and undefined throws an error
+var powerSaveBlocked = 0
 
 function init () {
   ipcMain.on('showOpenTorrentFile', function (e) {
@@ -42,6 +46,16 @@ function init () {
   ipcMain.on('log', function (e, message) {
     console.log(message)
   })
+
+  ipcMain.on('playing-video', function (e) {
+    powerSaveBlocked = powerSaveBlocker.start('prevent-display-sleep')
+  })
+
+  ipcMain.on('paused-video', function (e) {
+    if (powerSaveBlocker.isStarted(powerSaveBlocked)) {
+      powerSaveBlocker.stop(powerSaveBlocked)
+    }
+  })
 }
 
 function setBounds (bounds) {
diff --git a/renderer/index.js b/renderer/index.js
index 64412c09..69d01ca9 100644
--- a/renderer/index.js
+++ b/renderer/index.js
@@ -206,6 +206,9 @@ function dispatch (action, ...args) {
     state.video.isPaused = true
     update()
   }
+  if (action === 'videoPlaying') {
+    ipcRenderer.send('playing-video')
+  }
   if (action === 'videoPaused') {
     ipcRenderer.send('paused-video')
   }
diff --git a/renderer/views/player.js b/renderer/views/player.js
index 6f0e5ad2..33f307b3 100644
--- a/renderer/views/player.js
+++ b/renderer/views/player.js
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ function Player (state, dispatch) {
           ondblclick=${() => dispatch('toggleFullScreen')}
           onloadedmetadata=${onLoadedMetadata}
           onended=${onEnded}
+          onplay=${() => dispatch('videoPlaying')}
           onpause=${() => dispatch('videoPaused')}
           autoplay>
         </video>