diff --git a/ScStwLibraries/headers/scstwrace.h b/ScStwLibraries/headers/scstwrace.h
index 210a64a..c745038 100644
--- a/ScStwLibraries/headers/scstwrace.h
+++ b/ScStwLibraries/headers/scstwrace.h
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ private slots:
     void handleTimerWantsToBeDisabledChange(ScStwTimer* timer, bool wantsToBeDisabled);
     int handleFalseStart();
     bool playSoundsAndStartTimers();
-    bool doDelayAndSoundOfCurrentStartState(double *timeOfSoundPlaybackStart = nullptr);
+    ScStwSoundPlayer::PlayResult doDelayAndSoundOfCurrentStartState(double *timeOfSoundPlaybackStart = nullptr);
     void technicalIncident();
 
     /**
diff --git a/ScStwLibraries/headers/scstwsoundplayer.h b/ScStwLibraries/headers/scstwsoundplayer.h
index 3356a51..28d9bdc 100644
--- a/ScStwLibraries/headers/scstwsoundplayer.h
+++ b/ScStwLibraries/headers/scstwsoundplayer.h
@@ -49,6 +49,12 @@ public:
         FalseStart = 3
     };
 
+    enum PlayResult {
+        Success = 0,
+        Cancelled = -1,
+        Error = -2
+    };
+
 private:
     /*!
      * \brief A map containing all sound files
@@ -91,16 +97,16 @@ public slots:
      * \param action The action to play (0: AtYourMarks, 1:Ready, 2:Start)
      * \param volume The volume to play at
      * \param timeOfStop The time the playback actually started (msecs since epoch)
-     * \return true if the playback was successfully started, false otherwise
+     * \return TODO true if the playback was successfully started, false otherwise
      */
-    bool play(StartSound sound, double volume, double *timeOfStart = nullptr);
+    ScStwSoundPlayer::PlayResult play(StartSound sound, double volume, double *timeOfStart = nullptr);
 
     /*!
      * \brief Function to wait for the playback to finish
      * \param timeOfStop the point in time when the plyback actually stopped (msecs since epoch)
      * \return false if there was any error (eg. there was no playback currently), true otherwise
      */
-    bool waitForSoundFinish(double *timeOfStop = nullptr);
+    ScStwSoundPlayer::PlayResult waitForSoundFinish(double *timeOfStop = nullptr);
 
     /*!
      * \brief Function to cancel the current playback
diff --git a/ScStwLibraries/sources/scstwrace.cpp b/ScStwLibraries/sources/scstwrace.cpp
index 0f40cd0..f00fa40 100644
--- a/ScStwLibraries/sources/scstwrace.cpp
+++ b/ScStwLibraries/sources/scstwrace.cpp
@@ -197,6 +197,8 @@ void ScStwRace::technicalIncident() {
     foreach(ScStwTimer *timer, this->timers){
         timer->cancel();
     }
+
+    this->soundPlayer->cancel();
     this->setState(INCIDENT);
 }
 
@@ -223,8 +225,16 @@ bool ScStwRace::playSoundsAndStartTimers() {
         return true;
 
     // The check if all timers are ready has already happened at this point
-    if(!this->doDelayAndSoundOfCurrentStartState())
+    ScStwSoundPlayer::PlayResult res = this->doDelayAndSoundOfCurrentStartState();
+
+    if(res == ScStwSoundPlayer::Error) {
+        qDebug() << "[ERROR][RACE] error playing at your marks sound";
+        this->technicalIncident();
         return false;
+    }
+    else if(res == ScStwSoundPlayer::Cancelled) {
+        return false;
+    }
 
     // check if the start was cancelled
     if(!this->isStarting())
@@ -234,8 +244,6 @@ bool ScStwRace::playSoundsAndStartTimers() {
 
     // do climber readiness tests
 
-    // wait until both climbers are ready
-
     // if the automatic ready tone is enabled, wait for the climbers to become ready
     if(this->competitionMode && this->getSoundEnabledSetting(ScStwSoundPlayer::Ready)) {
 
@@ -290,11 +298,16 @@ bool ScStwRace::playSoundsAndStartTimers() {
         qDebug() << "[DEBUG][RACE] Wait finished, starting now!";
 
         // play ready tone
-        if(!this->soundPlayer->play(ScStwSoundPlayer::Ready, this->getSoundVolume())) {
-            qDebug() << "[ERROR][RACE] Ready sound returned false!";
+        ScStwSoundPlayer::PlayResult res = this->soundPlayer->play(ScStwSoundPlayer::Ready, this->getSoundVolume());
+
+        if(res == ScStwSoundPlayer::Error) {
+            qDebug() << "[ERROR][RACE] error playing ready sound";
             this->technicalIncident();
             return false;
         }
+        else if(res == ScStwSoundPlayer::Cancelled) {
+            return false;
+        }
     }
     else if(this->competitionMode) {
         // wait for climbers and manual start
@@ -308,8 +321,14 @@ bool ScStwRace::playSoundsAndStartTimers() {
         } while(loopExitCode != LoopManualExit || !this->getIsReadyForNextState());
     }
     else {
-        if(!this->doDelayAndSoundOfCurrentStartState()) {
-            this->cancel();
+        ScStwSoundPlayer::PlayResult res = this->doDelayAndSoundOfCurrentStartState();
+
+        if(res == ScStwSoundPlayer::Error) {
+            qDebug() << "[ERROR][RACE] error playing ready sound";
+            this->technicalIncident();
+            return false;
+        }
+        else if(res == ScStwSoundPlayer::Cancelled) {
             return false;
         }
     }
@@ -319,10 +338,16 @@ bool ScStwRace::playSoundsAndStartTimers() {
 
     // play start tone
     double timeOfSoundPlaybackStart;
-    if(!this->doDelayAndSoundOfCurrentStartState(&timeOfSoundPlaybackStart)) {
+    res = this->doDelayAndSoundOfCurrentStartState(&timeOfSoundPlaybackStart);
+
+    if(res == ScStwSoundPlayer::Error) {
+        qDebug() << "[ERROR][RACE] error playing at your marks sound";
         this->technicalIncident();
         return false;
     }
+    else if(res == ScStwSoundPlayer::Cancelled) {
+        return false;
+    }
 
     // perform start
 
@@ -339,7 +364,7 @@ bool ScStwRace::playSoundsAndStartTimers() {
         return false;
     }
 
-    if(!this->soundPlayer->waitForSoundFinish()) {
+    if(this->soundPlayer->waitForSoundFinish() == ScStwSoundPlayer::Error) {
         qDebug() << "[ERROR][RACE] start sound wait error";
         this->technicalIncident();
         return false;
@@ -347,7 +372,7 @@ bool ScStwRace::playSoundsAndStartTimers() {
 
     // check if a false start occured
     if(!this->isStarting())
-        return true;
+        return false;
 
     this->setState(RUNNING);
 
@@ -356,7 +381,7 @@ bool ScStwRace::playSoundsAndStartTimers() {
 
 }
 
-bool ScStwRace::doDelayAndSoundOfCurrentStartState(double *timeOfSoundPlaybackStart) {
+ScStwSoundPlayer::PlayResult ScStwRace::doDelayAndSoundOfCurrentStartState(double *timeOfSoundPlaybackStart) {
     ScStwSoundPlayer::StartSound sound = this->getSoundForState(this->state);
 
     if(this->getSoundEnabledSetting(sound)) {
@@ -374,18 +399,18 @@ bool ScStwRace::doDelayAndSoundOfCurrentStartState(double *timeOfSoundPlaybackSt
                 emit this->currentStartDelayChanged();
 
                 if(this->startWaitLoop->exec() == LoopCancelExit)
-                    return false;
+                    return ScStwSoundPlayer::Cancelled;
             }
         }
 
         if(!this->isStarting())
-            return false;
+            return ScStwSoundPlayer::Error;
 
-        if(!this->soundPlayer->play(sound, this->getSoundVolume(), timeOfSoundPlaybackStart))
-            return false;
+
+        return this->soundPlayer->play(sound, this->getSoundVolume(), timeOfSoundPlaybackStart);
     }
 
-    return true;
+    return ScStwSoundPlayer::Success;
 }
 
 void ScStwRace::setState(RaceState newState) {
diff --git a/ScStwLibraries/sources/scstwsoundplayer.cpp b/ScStwLibraries/sources/scstwsoundplayer.cpp
index e68caee..463d716 100644
--- a/ScStwLibraries/sources/scstwsoundplayer.cpp
+++ b/ScStwLibraries/sources/scstwsoundplayer.cpp
@@ -35,9 +35,11 @@ ScStwSoundPlayer::ScStwSoundPlayer(QObject *parent) : QObject(parent)
     connect(this->soundEffect, &QSoundEffect::playingChanged, this->waitLoop, &QEventLoop::quit);
 }
 
-bool ScStwSoundPlayer::play(ScStwSoundPlayer::StartSound sound, double volume, double *timeOfStart) {
-    if(!this->soundFiles.contains(sound))
-        return false;
+ScStwSoundPlayer::PlayResult ScStwSoundPlayer::play(ScStwSoundPlayer::StartSound sound, double volume, double *timeOfStart) {
+    if(!this->soundFiles.contains(sound)) {
+        qDebug() << "[ERROR][SoundPlayer] Sound file was not found for sound" << sound;
+        return ScStwSoundPlayer::Error;
+    }
 
     // stop playback
     if(this->soundEffect->isPlaying())
@@ -55,6 +57,7 @@ bool ScStwSoundPlayer::play(ScStwSoundPlayer::StartSound sound, double volume, d
     // wait for the effect to load
     QEventLoop loop;
     while(this->soundEffect->status() != QSoundEffect::Ready) {
+        qDebug() << "[DEBUG][Sound] Sound is not ready yet, status is: " << this->soundEffect->status();
         QObject::connect(this->soundEffect, &QSoundEffect::statusChanged, &loop, &QEventLoop::quit);
         loop.exec();
     }
@@ -76,7 +79,7 @@ bool ScStwSoundPlayer::play(ScStwSoundPlayer::StartSound sound, double volume, d
     if(sound < Start)
         return this->waitForSoundFinish();
 
-    return true;
+    return ScStwSoundPlayer::Success;
 }
 
 bool ScStwSoundPlayer::cancel() {
@@ -85,17 +88,18 @@ bool ScStwSoundPlayer::cancel() {
 
     // stop playback
     this->soundEffect->stop();
-    this->waitLoop->quit();
+    this->waitLoop->exit(-1);
 
     return true;
 }
 
-bool ScStwSoundPlayer::waitForSoundFinish(double *timeOfStop) {
+ScStwSoundPlayer::PlayResult ScStwSoundPlayer::waitForSoundFinish(double *timeOfStop) {
     if(!this->soundEffect->isPlaying())
-        return false;
+        return ScStwSoundPlayer::Error;
 
     // wait until the audio output reports the sound is over
-    waitLoop->exec();
+    if(waitLoop->exec() == -1)
+        return ScStwSoundPlayer::Cancelled;
 
     // wait until the sound is actually over
     // the timeOffset is the buffer time before the audio started!
@@ -113,7 +117,7 @@ bool ScStwSoundPlayer::waitForSoundFinish(double *timeOfStop) {
         *timeOfStop = QDateTime::currentMSecsSinceEpoch() - latency;
     }
 
-    return true;
+    return ScStwSoundPlayer::Success;
 }
 
 bool ScStwSoundPlayer::isPlaying() {
diff --git a/ScStwLibraries/sources/scstwtimer.cpp b/ScStwLibraries/sources/scstwtimer.cpp
index f7f77ba..efa429a 100644
--- a/ScStwLibraries/sources/scstwtimer.cpp
+++ b/ScStwLibraries/sources/scstwtimer.cpp
@@ -217,9 +217,6 @@ QString ScStwTimer::getLetter() {
 }
 
 QString ScStwTimer::getText() {
-
-    qDebug() << "getting text: start time: " << this->startTime << " state: " << this->state;
-
     QString newText = "";
     int newTime = 0;
     switch (this->state) {