diff --git a/src/renderer/controllers/playback-controller.js b/src/renderer/controllers/playback-controller.js
index d1c38153..523d6f3c 100644
--- a/src/renderer/controllers/playback-controller.js
+++ b/src/renderer/controllers/playback-controller.js
@@ -26,6 +26,15 @@ module.exports = class PlaybackController {
   // * Stream, if not already fully downloaded
   // * If no file index is provided, pick the default file to play
   playFile (infoHash, index /* optional */) {
+    // playback priority: pause all active torrents
+    if (this.state.saved.prefs.highestPlaybackPriority) {
+      var params = {
+        filter: {status: /downloading|seeding/},
+        excluded: [infoHash]
+      }
+      dispatch('pauseAllTorrents', params)
+    }
+
     this.state.location.go({
       url: 'player',
       setup: (cb) => {
@@ -300,6 +309,11 @@ module.exports = class PlaybackController {
 
     ipcRenderer.send('onPlayerClose')
 
+    // playback priority: resume previously paused downloads
+    if (this.state.saved.prefs.highestPlaybackPriority) {
+      dispatch('resumePausedTorrents')
+    }
+
     this.update()
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/renderer/controllers/torrent-list-controller.js b/src/renderer/controllers/torrent-list-controller.js
index c155fbcf..50012451 100644
--- a/src/renderer/controllers/torrent-list-controller.js
+++ b/src/renderer/controllers/torrent-list-controller.js
@@ -103,18 +103,75 @@ module.exports = class TorrentListController {
     }
   }
 
+  pauseAll ({filter, excluded}) {
+    console.log('--- pause all')
+    this.state.saved.torrents.map((torrent) => {
+      // "excluded" is an array of torrents that should not be paused
+      if (excluded) {
+        var isExcluded = excluded.some((excludeInfoHash) => {
+          if (excludeInfoHash === torrent.infoHash) return true
+        })
+        if (isExcluded) return
+      }
+
+      // don't play sounds when pausing all
+      var wasPaused = this.pauseTorrent(torrent, false, filter)
+
+      // if torrent was paused add it to paused torrents collection
+      // we will use this collection to resume downloading when playback stops
+      if (wasPaused) this.state.saved.pausedTorrents.push(torrent.infoHash)
+    })
+  }
+
+  resumePausedTorrents () {
+    console.log('--- resume paused torrents')
+    this.state.saved.pausedTorrents.map((infoHash) => {
+      var torrentSummary = TorrentSummary.getByKey(this.state, infoHash)
+      this.startTorrent(torrentSummary)
+    })
+
+    // reset paused torrents
+    this.state.saved.pausedTorrents = []
+  }
+
   // TODO: use torrentKey, not infoHash
   toggleTorrent (infoHash) {
     var torrentSummary = TorrentSummary.getByKey(this.state, infoHash)
+
+    // start
     if (torrentSummary.status === 'paused') {
-      torrentSummary.status = 'new'
-      this.startTorrentingSummary(torrentSummary.torrentKey)
-      sound.play('ENABLE')
-    } else {
-      torrentSummary.status = 'paused'
-      ipcRenderer.send('wt-stop-torrenting', torrentSummary.infoHash)
-      sound.play('DISABLE')
+      this.startTorrent(torrentSummary, true)
+      return
     }
+
+    // pause
+    this.pauseTorrent(torrentSummary, true)
+  }
+
+  startTorrent (torrentSummary, playSound) {
+    torrentSummary.status = 'new'
+    this.startTorrentingSummary(torrentSummary.torrentKey)
+
+    if (playSound) sound.play('ENABLE')
+  }
+
+  pauseTorrent (torrentSummary, playSound, filter) {
+    if (filter && !this.matchesFilter(torrentSummary, filter)) return false
+
+    torrentSummary.status = 'paused'
+    ipcRenderer.send('wt-stop-torrenting', torrentSummary.infoHash)
+
+    if (playSound) sound.play('DISABLE')
+    return true
+  }
+
+  matchesFilter (torrentSummary, filter) {
+    var keys = Object.keys(filter)
+    var matches = keys.some((key) => {
+      if (!torrentSummary[key].match(filter[key])) return false
+      return true
+    })
+    return matches
   }
 
   toggleTorrentFile (infoHash, index) {
diff --git a/src/renderer/main.js b/src/renderer/main.js
index e9ed6cee..ccab7261 100644
--- a/src/renderer/main.js
+++ b/src/renderer/main.js
@@ -184,6 +184,8 @@ const dispatchHandlers = {
   'toggleSelectTorrent': (infoHash) => controllers.torrentList.toggleSelectTorrent(infoHash),
   'openTorrentContextMenu': (infoHash) => controllers.torrentList.openTorrentContextMenu(infoHash),
   'startTorrentingSummary': (torrentKey) => controllers.torrentList.startTorrentingSummary(torrentKey),
+  'pauseAllTorrents': (params) => controllers.torrentList.pauseAll(params),
+  'resumePausedTorrents': () => controllers.torrentList.resumePausedTorrents(),
 
   // Playback
   'playFile': (infoHash, index) => controllers.playback.playFile(infoHash, index),
diff --git a/src/renderer/pages/PreferencesPage.js b/src/renderer/pages/PreferencesPage.js
index 79642979..f79a8f3b 100644
--- a/src/renderer/pages/PreferencesPage.js
+++ b/src/renderer/pages/PreferencesPage.js
@@ -60,6 +60,24 @@ class PreferencesPage extends React.Component {
     dispatch('updatePreferences', 'openExternalPlayer', !isChecked)
   }
 
+  highestPlaybackPriorityCheckbox () {
+    return (
+      <Preference>
+        <Checkbox
+          className='control'
+          checked={this.props.state.unsaved.prefs.highestPlaybackPriority}
+          label={'Highest Playback Priority'}
+          onCheck={this.handleHighestPlaybackPriorityChange}
+        />
+        <p>Pauses all active torrents to allow playback to use all of the available bandwidth.</p>
+      </Preference>
+    )
+  }
+
+  handleHighestPlaybackPriorityChange (e, isChecked) {
+    dispatch('updatePreferences', 'highestPlaybackPriority', isChecked)
+  }
+
   externalPlayerPathSelector () {
     const playerName = path.basename(
       this.props.state.unsaved.prefs.externalPlayerPath || 'VLC'
@@ -129,6 +147,7 @@ class PreferencesPage extends React.Component {
         <PreferencesSection title='Playback'>
           {this.openExternalPlayerCheckbox()}
           {this.externalPlayerPathSelector()}
+          {this.highestPlaybackPriorityCheckbox()}
         </PreferencesSection>
         <PreferencesSection title='Default torrent app'>
           {this.setDefaultAppButton()}