diff --git a/src/ch/blinkenlights/android/vanilla/PlaybackService.java b/src/ch/blinkenlights/android/vanilla/PlaybackService.java
index cd4aebe5..a9a7ca96 100644
--- a/src/ch/blinkenlights/android/vanilla/PlaybackService.java
+++ b/src/ch/blinkenlights/android/vanilla/PlaybackService.java
@@ -669,27 +669,57 @@ public final class PlaybackService extends Service
 		if(Build.VERSION.SDK_INT < Build.VERSION_CODES.JELLY_BEAN)
 			return; /* setNextMediaPlayer is supported since JB */
 
-		// Reset any preparations
-		mMediaPlayer.setNextMediaPlayer(null);
-		mPreparedMediaPlayer.reset();
-
+		boolean doGapless = false;
 		int fa = finishAction(mState);
 		Song nextSong = getSong(1);
+
 		if( nextSong != null
-		    && fa != SongTimeline.FINISH_REPEAT_CURRENT
-		    && fa != SongTimeline.FINISH_STOP_CURRENT
-		    && !mTimeline.isEndOfQueue() ) {
-			try {
-				prepareMediaPlayer(mPreparedMediaPlayer, nextSong.path);
-				mMediaPlayer.setNextMediaPlayer(mPreparedMediaPlayer);
-				Log.d("VanillaMusic", "New media player prepared with path "+nextSong.path);
-			} catch (IOException e) {
-				Log.e("VanillaMusic", "IOException", e);
-			}
+		 && nextSong.path != null
+		 && fa != SongTimeline.FINISH_REPEAT_CURRENT
+		 && fa != SongTimeline.FINISH_STOP_CURRENT
+		 && !mTimeline.isEndOfQueue() ) {
+			doGapless = true;
 		}
 		else {
 			Log.d("VanillaMusic", "Must not create new media player object");
 		}
+
+		Log.v("VanillaMusic", "A>>  hasNext="+mMediaPlayer.hasNextMediaPlayer()+", ds="+mMediaPlayer.getDataSource()+", class="+mMediaPlayer);
+		Log.v("VanillaMusic", "P>>  hasNext="+mPreparedMediaPlayer.hasNextMediaPlayer()+", ds="+mPreparedMediaPlayer.getDataSource()+", class="+mPreparedMediaPlayer);
+
+		if(doGapless == true) {
+			try {
+				if(nextSong.path.equals(mPreparedMediaPlayer.getDataSource()) == false) {
+					// Prepared MP has a different data source: We need to re-initalize
+					// it and set it as the next MP for the active media player
+					Log.v("VanillaMusic", "GAPLESS: SETTING "+nextSong.path);
+					mPreparedMediaPlayer.reset();
+					prepareMediaPlayer(mPreparedMediaPlayer, nextSong.path);
+					mMediaPlayer.setNextMediaPlayer(mPreparedMediaPlayer);
+				}
+				if(mMediaPlayer.hasNextMediaPlayer() == false) {
+					// We can reuse the prepared MediaPlayer but the current instance lacks
+					// a link to it
+					Log.v("VanillaMusic", "SETTING NEXT MP as in "+mPreparedMediaPlayer.getDataSource());
+					mMediaPlayer.setNextMediaPlayer(mPreparedMediaPlayer);
+				}
+			} catch (IOException e) {
+				Log.v("VanillaMusic", "triggerGaplessUpdate() failed with exception "+e);
+				mMediaPlayer.setNextMediaPlayer(null);
+				mPreparedMediaPlayer.reset();
+			}
+		} else {
+			if(mMediaPlayer.hasNextMediaPlayer()) {
+				Log.v("VanillaMusic", "UNCONFIGURING NEW MEDIA PLAYER");
+				mMediaPlayer.setNextMediaPlayer(null);
+				// There is no need to cleanup mPreparedMediaPlayer
+			}
+		}
+
+		Log.v("VanillaMusic", "A<<  hasNext="+mMediaPlayer.hasNextMediaPlayer()+", ds="+mMediaPlayer.getDataSource()+", class="+mMediaPlayer);
+		Log.v("VanillaMusic", "P<<  hasNext="+mPreparedMediaPlayer.hasNextMediaPlayer()+", ds="+mPreparedMediaPlayer.getDataSource()+", class="+mPreparedMediaPlayer);
+
+
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -1178,12 +1208,14 @@ public final class PlaybackService extends Service
 		try {
 			mMediaPlayerInitialized = false;
 			mMediaPlayer.reset();
-			
+
 			if(mPreparedMediaPlayer.isPlaying()) {
+				// The prepared media player is playing as the previous song
+				// reched its end 'naturally' (-> gapless)
+				// We can now swap mPreparedMediaPlayer and mMediaPlayer
 				VanillaMediaPlayer tmpPlayer = mMediaPlayer;
 				mMediaPlayer = mPreparedMediaPlayer;
-				mPreparedMediaPlayer = tmpPlayer;
-				mPreparedMediaPlayer.reset();
+				mPreparedMediaPlayer = tmpPlayer; // this was mMediaPlayer and is in reset() state
 				Log.v("VanillaMusic", "Swapped media players");
 			}
 			else if(song.path != null) {
@@ -1658,7 +1690,7 @@ public final class PlaybackService extends Service
 		// This might get canceled if setCurrentSong() also fired a call
 		// to processSong();
 		mHandler.removeMessages(GAPLESS_UPDATE);
-		mHandler.sendEmptyMessageDelayed(GAPLESS_UPDATE, 500);
+		mHandler.sendEmptyMessageDelayed(GAPLESS_UPDATE, 100);
 
 		ArrayList<PlaybackActivity> list = sActivities;
 		for (int i = list.size(); --i != -1; )
diff --git a/src/ch/blinkenlights/android/vanilla/VanillaMediaPlayer.java b/src/ch/blinkenlights/android/vanilla/VanillaMediaPlayer.java
index 8e77972b..450092a5 100644
--- a/src/ch/blinkenlights/android/vanilla/VanillaMediaPlayer.java
+++ b/src/ch/blinkenlights/android/vanilla/VanillaMediaPlayer.java
@@ -26,13 +26,12 @@ import android.media.audiofx.AudioEffect;
 import java.io.IOException;
 
 
-import android.util.Log;
-
 
 public class VanillaMediaPlayer extends MediaPlayer {
 
 	private Context mContext;
 	private String mDataSource;
+	private boolean mHasNextMediaPlayer;
 	private int mClaimedAudioSessionId = 0;
 
 	/**
@@ -49,6 +48,7 @@ public class VanillaMediaPlayer extends MediaPlayer {
 	 */
 	public void reset() {
 		mDataSource = null;
+		mHasNextMediaPlayer = false;
 		super.reset();
 	}
 
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ public class VanillaMediaPlayer extends MediaPlayer {
 	public void release() {
 		_releaseAudioSession();
 		mDataSource = null;
+		mHasNextMediaPlayer = false;
 		super.release();
 	}
 
@@ -77,12 +78,27 @@ public class VanillaMediaPlayer extends MediaPlayer {
 		return mDataSource;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Sets the next media player data source
+	 */
+	public void setNextMediaPlayer(VanillaMediaPlayer next) {
+		super.setNextMediaPlayer(next);
+		mHasNextMediaPlayer = (next != null);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Returns true if a 'next' media player has been configured
+	 * via setNextMediaPlayer(next)
+	 */
+	public boolean hasNextMediaPlayer() {
+		return mHasNextMediaPlayer;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Creates a new AudioEffect for our AudioSession
 	 */
 	private void _claimAudioSession() {
 		// No active audio session -> claim one
-		Log.v("VanillaMusic", "_claimAudioSession() -> "+mClaimedAudioSessionId+" -> "+this);
 		if (mClaimedAudioSessionId == 0) {
 			mClaimedAudioSessionId = this.getAudioSessionId();
 			Intent i = new Intent(AudioEffect.ACTION_OPEN_AUDIO_EFFECT_CONTROL_SESSION);
@@ -96,8 +112,6 @@ public class VanillaMediaPlayer extends MediaPlayer {
 	 * Releases a previously claimed audio session id
 	 */
 	private void _releaseAudioSession() {
-		Log.v("VanillaMusic", "_releaseAudioSession() "+mClaimedAudioSessionId+" -> "+this);
-
 		if (mClaimedAudioSessionId != 0) {
 			Intent i = new Intent(AudioEffect.ACTION_CLOSE_AUDIO_EFFECT_CONTROL_SESSION);
 			i.putExtra(AudioEffect.EXTRA_AUDIO_SESSION, mClaimedAudioSessionId);