diff --git a/user/waybar.nix b/user/waybar.nix
index 5611364..862247c 100644
--- a/user/waybar.nix
+++ b/user/waybar.nix
@@ -94,13 +94,22 @@ in
             on-scroll-up = "${mpc} vol +10";
             on-scroll-down = "${mpc} vol -10";
           };
-        "custom/playerctl" = {
-          format = "{}";
-          exec = "${pkgs.playerctl}/bin/playerctl --ignore-player=mpd metadata title";
-          on-click = "${pkgs.playerctl}/bin/playerctl --ignore-player=mpd play-pause";
-          interval = 1;
-          tooltip = false;
-        };
+        "custom/playerctl" =
+          let
+            playerctl = "${pkgs.playerctl}/bin/playerctl --ignore-player=mpd";
+            statusScript = pkgs.writeShellScript "waybar-playerctl-status" ''
+              test "$(env LC_ALL=C ${playerctl} status title)" = "Playing" \
+              && ${playerctl} metadata title \
+              || echo ""
+            '';
+          in
+          {
+            format = "{}";
+            exec = "${statusScript}";
+            on-click = "${playerctl} play-pause";
+            interval = 1;
+            tooltip = false;
+          };
         "sway/language" = { format = "{short} {variant}"; };
         "custom/caffeine" = {
           format = "{}";