diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 2f9fc41..198c150 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1161,6 +1161,20 @@ version = "0.3.28"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "69d3587f8a9e599cc7ec2c00e331f71c4e69a5f9a4b8a6efd5b07466b9736f9a"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "playerctl"
+version = "0.1.0"
+dependencies = [
+ "clap",
+ "color-eyre",
+ "deckster_mode",
+ "env_logger",
+ "log",
+ "once_cell",
+ "serde",
+ "tokio",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "png"
 version = "0.17.10"
diff --git a/handlers/pa_volume/src/handler.rs b/handlers/pa_volume/src/handler.rs
index 7f57c00..0505092 100644
--- a/handlers/pa_volume/src/handler.rs
+++ b/handlers/pa_volume/src/handler.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ use log::warn;
 use parse_display::Display;
 use regex::Regex;
 use serde::Deserialize;
-use tokio::select;
 use tokio::sync::broadcast;
 
 use deckster_mode::shared::handler_communication::{
@@ -246,7 +245,7 @@ async fn manage_knob(path: KnobPath, config: KnobConfig, mut events: broadcast::
     }
 
     loop {
-        select! {
+        tokio::select! {
             Ok(volume_state) = volume_states.recv() => {
                 entity_state = volume_state.entities_by_id().values().find(|entity| state_matches(&config.target, entity)).map(Arc::clone);
                 update_knob_style(&entity_state);
diff --git a/handlers/playerctl/Cargo.toml b/handlers/playerctl/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e1ccfb6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/handlers/playerctl/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+[package]
+name = "playerctl"
+version = "0.1.0"
+edition = "2021"
+
+[dependencies]
+deckster_mode = { path = "../../crates/deckster_mode" }
+clap = { version = "4.4.18", features = ["derive"] }
+color-eyre = "0.6.2"
+serde = { version = "1.0.196", features = ["derive"] }
+env_logger = "0.11.1"
+log = "0.4.20"
+tokio = { version = "1.35.1", features = ["macros", "parking_lot", "rt-multi-thread", "sync"] }
+once_cell = "1.19.0"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/handlers/playerctl/src/handler.rs b/handlers/playerctl/src/handler.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7729716
--- /dev/null
+++ b/handlers/playerctl/src/handler.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,318 @@
+use std::fmt::Debug;
+use std::hash::Hash;
+use std::io::{BufRead, BufReader};
+use std::process::Stdio;
+use std::sync::{Arc, RwLock};
+use std::thread;
+use std::thread::sleep;
+use std::time::Duration;
+
+use log::{error, warn};
+use once_cell::sync::Lazy;
+use serde::Deserialize;
+use tokio::sync::broadcast;
+use tokio::sync::broadcast::error::RecvError;
+
+use deckster_mode::shared::handler_communication::{HandlerCommand, HandlerEvent, InitialHandlerMessage, KeyEvent};
+use deckster_mode::shared::path::KeyPath;
+use deckster_mode::shared::state::KeyStyleByStateMap;
+use deckster_mode::{send_command, DecksterHandler};
+
+#[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
+pub struct ButtonConfig {
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub style: KeyStyleByStateMap<ButtonState>,
+    pub command: ButtonCommand,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Eq, PartialEq, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "kebab-case")]
+pub enum ButtonCommand {
+    PlayPause,
+    Play,
+    Pause,
+    Previous,
+    Next,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Eq, PartialEq, Hash, Clone, Copy, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "kebab-case")]
+pub enum ButtonState {
+    Inactive,
+    Playing,
+    Paused,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
+pub struct ShuffleConfig {
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub style: KeyStyleByStateMap<ShuffleState>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Eq, PartialEq, Hash, Clone, Copy, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "kebab-case")]
+pub enum ShuffleState {
+    Inactive,
+    Off,
+    On,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
+pub struct LoopConfig {
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub style: KeyStyleByStateMap<LoopState>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Eq, PartialEq, Hash, Clone, Copy, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "kebab-case")]
+pub enum LoopState {
+    Inactive,
+    None,
+    Single,
+    All,
+}
+
+struct PlayerctlStateWatcher<S: Clone + Debug + Send + Sync + 'static> {
+    state: Arc<RwLock<S>>,
+    new_states: broadcast::Sender<S>,
+}
+
+impl<S: Clone + Debug + Send + Sync + 'static> PlayerctlStateWatcher<S> {
+    pub fn new(initial_state: S, subcommand: &'static str, parse_state: impl 'static + Fn(&String) -> S + Send) -> Self {
+        let state = Arc::new(RwLock::new(initial_state));
+        let cloned_state = Arc::clone(&state);
+
+        let new_states = broadcast::Sender::new(1);
+        let cloned_new_states = new_states.clone();
+
+        thread::spawn(move || {
+            loop {
+                let players = std::process::Command::new("playerctl")
+                    .args(["-s", "-l"])
+                    .stderr(Stdio::null())
+                    .stdin(Stdio::null())
+                    .output()
+                    .unwrap();
+
+                if players.stdout.iter().filter(|c| **c == b'\n').count() > 0 {
+                    break;
+                }
+
+                sleep(Duration::from_secs(1));
+            }
+
+            let command = std::process::Command::new("playerctl")
+                .args(["-s", "-F", subcommand])
+                .stdout(Stdio::piped())
+                .stderr(Stdio::null())
+                .stdin(Stdio::null())
+                .spawn()
+                .unwrap();
+
+            let stdout = BufReader::new(command.stdout.unwrap());
+
+            for line in stdout.lines() {
+                let line = line.unwrap();
+                let new_state = parse_state(&line);
+
+                {
+                    let mut g = cloned_state.write().unwrap();
+                    *g = new_state.clone();
+                    if cloned_new_states.send(new_state).is_err() {
+                        warn!("No one is listening to player state changes")
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        });
+
+        PlayerctlStateWatcher { state, new_states }
+    }
+
+    fn subscribe_to_state(&self) -> broadcast::Receiver<S> {
+        let r = self.new_states.subscribe();
+        self.new_states.send(self.state.read().unwrap().clone()).unwrap();
+        r
+    }
+}
+
+static STATE_WATCHER_PLAYING: Lazy<PlayerctlStateWatcher<ButtonState>> = Lazy::new(|| {
+    PlayerctlStateWatcher::new(ButtonState::Inactive, "status", |s| match s.as_ref() {
+        "Playing" => ButtonState::Playing,
+        "Paused" => ButtonState::Paused,
+        "" | "Stopped" => ButtonState::Inactive,
+        _ => panic!("Unknown state: {}", s),
+    })
+});
+
+static STATE_WATCHER_SHUFFLE: Lazy<PlayerctlStateWatcher<ShuffleState>> = Lazy::new(|| {
+    PlayerctlStateWatcher::new(ShuffleState::Inactive, "shuffle", |s| match s.as_ref() {
+        "Off" => ShuffleState::Off,
+        "On" => ShuffleState::On,
+        "" => ShuffleState::Inactive,
+        _ => panic!("Unknown state: {}", s),
+    })
+});
+
+static STATE_WATCHER_LOOP: Lazy<PlayerctlStateWatcher<LoopState>> = Lazy::new(|| {
+    PlayerctlStateWatcher::new(LoopState::Inactive, "loop", |s| match s.as_ref() {
+        "Track" => LoopState::Single,
+        "Playlist" => LoopState::All,
+        "None" => LoopState::None,
+        "" => LoopState::Inactive,
+        _ => panic!("Unknown state: {}", s),
+    })
+});
+
+pub async fn handle_button(path: KeyPath, config: Arc<ButtonConfig>, mut events: broadcast::Receiver<KeyEvent>) {
+    let mut is_active = false;
+    let mut state = STATE_WATCHER_PLAYING.subscribe_to_state();
+
+    let command = match config.command {
+        ButtonCommand::PlayPause => "play-pause",
+        ButtonCommand::Play => "play",
+        ButtonCommand::Pause => "pause",
+        ButtonCommand::Previous => "previous",
+        ButtonCommand::Next => "next",
+    };
+
+    loop {
+        tokio::select! {
+            result = state.recv() => {
+                match result {
+                    Err(RecvError::Closed) => { result.unwrap(); },
+                    Err(RecvError::Lagged(_)) => { /* mission failed, we'll get 'em next time */ },
+                    Ok(state) => {
+                        is_active = state != ButtonState::Inactive;
+
+                        send_command(HandlerCommand::SetKeyStyle {
+                            path: path.clone(),
+                            value: config.style.get(&state).cloned()
+                        });
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
+            Ok(event) = events.recv() => {
+                if event == KeyEvent::Press && is_active {
+                    let status = std::process::Command::new("playerctl").arg(command).status().unwrap();
+
+                    if !status.success() {
+                        error!("`playerctl {}` failed with exit code {}", command, status)
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub async fn handle_shuffle(path: KeyPath, config: Arc<ShuffleConfig>, mut events: broadcast::Receiver<KeyEvent>) {
+    let mut state = STATE_WATCHER_SHUFFLE.subscribe_to_state();
+
+    loop {
+        tokio::select! {
+            result = state.recv() => {
+                match result {
+                    Err(RecvError::Closed) => { result.unwrap(); },
+                    Err(RecvError::Lagged(_)) => { /* mission failed, we'll get 'em next time */ },
+                    Ok(state) => {
+                        send_command(HandlerCommand::SetKeyStyle {
+                            path: path.clone(),
+                            value: config.style.get(&state).cloned()
+                        })
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
+            Ok(event) = events.recv() => {
+                if event == KeyEvent::Press {
+                    let current = *STATE_WATCHER_SHUFFLE.state.read().unwrap();
+                    let new = match current {
+                        ShuffleState::Inactive | ShuffleState::Off => "On",
+                        ShuffleState::On => "Off",
+                    };
+
+                    let status = std::process::Command::new("playerctl").args(["shuffle", new]).status().unwrap();
+
+                    if !status.success() {
+                        error!("`playerctl shuffle {}` failed with exit code {}", new, status)
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub async fn handle_loop(path: KeyPath, config: Arc<LoopConfig>, mut events: broadcast::Receiver<KeyEvent>) {
+    let mut state = STATE_WATCHER_LOOP.subscribe_to_state();
+
+    loop {
+        tokio::select! {
+            result = state.recv() => {
+                match result {
+                    Err(RecvError::Closed) => { result.unwrap(); },
+                    Err(RecvError::Lagged(_)) => { /* mission failed, we'll get 'em next time */ },
+                    Ok(state) => {
+                        send_command(HandlerCommand::SetKeyStyle {
+                            path: path.clone(),
+                            value: config.style.get(&state).cloned()
+                        })
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
+            Ok(event) = events.recv() => {
+                if event == KeyEvent::Press {
+                    let current = *STATE_WATCHER_LOOP.state.read().unwrap();
+                    let new = match current {
+                        LoopState::Inactive | LoopState::None => "Playlist",
+                        LoopState::All => "Track",
+                        LoopState::Single => "None",
+                    };
+
+                    let status = std::process::Command::new("playerctl").args(["loop", new]).status().unwrap();
+
+                    if !status.success() {
+                        error!("`playerctl loop {}` failed with exit code {}", new, status)
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub struct Handler {
+    events_sender: broadcast::Sender<(KeyPath, KeyEvent)>,
+    #[allow(unused)]
+    runtime: tokio::runtime::Runtime,
+}
+
+impl Handler {
+    pub fn new(data: InitialHandlerMessage<()>) -> Result<Self, HandlerInitializationError> {
+        let (events_sender, _) = broadcast::channel::<(KnobPath, KnobEvent)>(5);
+        let pa_volume_interface = Arc::new(PaVolumeInterface::spawn_thread("deckster handler".to_owned()));
+
+        let runtime = tokio::runtime::Builder::new_multi_thread().worker_threads(1).build().unwrap();
+
+        for (path, (mode, config)) in data.knob_configs {
+            if !mode.is_empty() {
+                return Err(HandlerInitializationError::InvalidModeString {
+                    message: "No mode string allowed.".into(),
+                });
+            }
+
+            let events_receiver = events_sender.subscribe();
+            let a = Arc::clone(&pa_volume_interface);
+            runtime.spawn(manage_knob(path, config, events_receiver, a));
+        }
+
+        Ok(Handler { events_sender, runtime })
+    }
+}
+
+impl DecksterHandler for Handler {
+    fn handle(&mut self, event: HandlerEvent) {
+        if let HandlerEvent::Knob { path, event } = event {
+            self.events_sender.send((path, event)).unwrap();
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/handlers/playerctl/src/main.rs b/handlers/playerctl/src/main.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ffc9844
--- /dev/null
+++ b/handlers/playerctl/src/main.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+use clap::Parser;
+use color_eyre::Result;
+
+mod handler;
+
+#[derive(Debug, Parser)]
+#[command(name = "playerctl")]
+enum CliCommand {
+    #[command(name = "deckster-run", hide = true)]
+    Run,
+}
+
+fn main() -> Result<()> {
+    let command = CliCommand::parse();
+
+    match command {
+        CliCommand::Run => {
+            deckster_mode::run(Handler::new)?;
+        }
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}