diff --git a/main/ipc.js b/main/ipc.js
index 81e51b2c..bd3b090e 100644
--- a/main/ipc.js
+++ b/main/ipc.js
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ var menu = require('./menu')
 var windows = require('./windows')
 
 // has to be a number, not a boolean, and undefined throws an error
-var powerSaveBlocked = 0
+var powerSaveBlockID = 0
 
 function init () {
   ipcMain.on('showOpenTorrentFile', function (e) {
@@ -43,24 +43,12 @@ function init () {
     windows.main.setTitle(title)
   })
 
+  ipcMain.on('blockPowerSave', blockPowerSave)
+  ipcMain.on('unblockPowerSave', unblockPowerSave)
+
   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)
-    }
-  })
-
-  ipcMain.on('openItem', function (e, path) {
-    console.log('opening file or folder: ' + path)
-    electron.shell.openItem(path)
-  })
 }
 
 function setBounds (bounds) {
@@ -90,3 +78,15 @@ function setProgress (progress) {
     windows.main.setProgressBar(progress)
   }
 }
+
+function blockPowerSave () {
+  powerSaveBlockID = powerSaveBlocker.start('prevent-display-sleep')
+  debug('blockPowerSave %d', powerSaveBlockID)
+}
+
+function unblockPowerSave () {
+  if (powerSaveBlocker.isStarted(powerSaveBlockID)) {
+    powerSaveBlocker.stop(powerSaveBlockID)
+    debug('unblockPowerSave %d', powerSaveBlockID)
+  }
+}
diff --git a/renderer/index.js b/renderer/index.js
index 2e8c43be..1c633a06 100644
--- a/renderer/index.js
+++ b/renderer/index.js
@@ -79,8 +79,6 @@ function init () {
     updateClientProgress()
   }, 1000)
 
-  // All state lives in state.js. `state.saved` is read from and written to a
-  // file. All other state is ephemeral.
   window.addEventListener('beforeunload', saveState)
 
   // listen for messages from the main process
@@ -201,6 +199,7 @@ function dispatch (action, ...args) {
   if (action === 'back') {
     // TODO
     // window.history.back()
+    ipcRenderer.send('unblockPowerSave')
     closePlayer()
   }
   if (action === 'forward') {
@@ -215,10 +214,11 @@ function dispatch (action, ...args) {
     update()
   }
   if (action === 'videoPlaying') {
-    ipcRenderer.send('playing-video')
+    ipcRenderer.send('blockPowerSave')
   }
   if (action === 'videoPaused') {
     ipcRenderer.send('paused-video')
+    ipcRenderer.send('unblockPowerSave')
   }
   if (action === 'playPause') {
     state.video.isPaused = !state.video.isPaused
@@ -564,6 +564,7 @@ function closePlayer () {
   if (state.window.isFullScreen) {
     dispatch('toggleFullScreen', false)
   }
+
   restoreBounds()
   stopServer()
   update()