diff --git a/gui/controls.cpp b/gui/controls.cpp
index 866ec539..7527e739 100644
--- a/gui/controls.cpp
+++ b/gui/controls.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
 #include <gui/ocarina.h>
 
 static Gtk::Label *o_position;
+static Gtk::Button *o_play_button;
+static Gtk::Button *o_pause_button;
 static Glib::RefPtr<Gtk::Adjustment> o_pos_bar;
 
 static inline bool audio_playing()
@@ -14,19 +16,15 @@ static inline bool audio_playing()
 	return driver :: get_driver()->is_playing();
 }
 
-
-static void hide_show_buttons(const std::string &hide, const std::string &show)
-{
-	lib :: get_widget<Gtk::Button>(hide)->hide();
-	lib :: get_widget<Gtk::Button>(show)->show();
-}
-
 void o_fix_buttons()
 {
-	if (audio_playing())
-		hide_show_buttons("o_play", "o_pause");
-	else
-		hide_show_buttons("o_pause", "o_play");
+	if (audio_playing()) {
+		o_play_button->hide();
+		o_pause_button->show();
+	} else {
+		o_play_button->show();
+		o_pause_button->hide();
+	}
 }
 
 /*
@@ -84,6 +82,9 @@ void controls_init()
 	o_position = lib :: get_widget<Gtk::Label>("o_cur_position");
 	o_pos_bar  = lib :: get_object<Gtk::Adjustment>("o_progress");
 
+	o_play_button  = lib :: get_widget<Gtk::Button>("o_play");
+	o_pause_button = lib :: get_widget<Gtk::Button>("o_pause");
+
 	pos_scale->signal_change_value().connect(sigc::ptr_fun(o_seek));
 	connect_button("o_play", o_play);
 	connect_button("o_pause", o_pause);