diff --git a/src/containers/controls.jsx b/src/containers/controls.jsx
index 2869a047a..1d4a666d2 100644
--- a/src/containers/controls.jsx
+++ b/src/containers/controls.jsx
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ class Controls extends React.Component {
         if (e.shiftKey) {
             this.props.vm.setTurboMode(!this.props.turbo);
         } else {
+            if (!this.props.vm.started) {
+                this.props.vm.start();
+            }
             this.props.vm.greenFlag();
             analytics.event({
                 category: 'general',
diff --git a/src/lib/vm-manager-hoc.jsx b/src/lib/vm-manager-hoc.jsx
index 404b7e3c8..159e5c5c0 100644
--- a/src/lib/vm-manager-hoc.jsx
+++ b/src/lib/vm-manager-hoc.jsx
@@ -27,12 +27,16 @@ const vmManagerHOC = function (WrappedComponent) {
             ]);
         }
         componentDidMount () {
-            if (this.props.vm.initialized) return;
-            this.audioEngine = new AudioEngine();
-            this.props.vm.attachAudioEngine(this.audioEngine);
-            this.props.vm.setCompatibilityMode(true);
-            this.props.vm.start();
-            this.props.vm.initialized = true;
+            if (!this.props.vm.initialized) {
+                this.audioEngine = new AudioEngine();
+                this.props.vm.attachAudioEngine(this.audioEngine);
+                this.props.vm.setCompatibilityMode(true);
+                this.props.vm.initialized = true;
+            }
+            if (!this.props.isPlayerOnly && !this.props.vm.started) {
+                this.props.vm.start();
+                this.props.vm.started = true;
+            }
         }
         componentDidUpdate (prevProps) {
             // if project is in loading state, AND fonts are loaded,
@@ -41,6 +45,11 @@ const vmManagerHOC = function (WrappedComponent) {
                 (!prevProps.isLoadingWithId || !prevProps.fontsLoaded)) {
                 this.loadProject();
             }
+            // Start the VM if entering editor mode with an unstarted vm
+            if (!this.props.isPlayerOnly && !this.props.vm.started) {
+                this.props.vm.start();
+                this.props.vm.started = true;
+            }
         }
         loadProject () {
             return this.props.vm.loadProject(this.props.projectData)
@@ -79,6 +88,7 @@ const vmManagerHOC = function (WrappedComponent) {
         cloudHost: PropTypes.string,
         fontsLoaded: PropTypes.bool,
         isLoadingWithId: PropTypes.bool,
+        isPlayerOnly: PropTypes.bool,
         loadingState: PropTypes.oneOf(LoadingStates),
         onError: PropTypes.func,
         onLoadedProject: PropTypes.func,
@@ -94,7 +104,8 @@ const vmManagerHOC = function (WrappedComponent) {
             isLoadingWithId: getIsLoadingWithId(loadingState),
             projectData: state.scratchGui.projectState.projectData,
             projectId: state.scratchGui.projectState.projectId,
-            loadingState: loadingState
+            loadingState: loadingState,
+            isPlayerOnly: state.scratchGui.mode.isPlayerOnly
         };
     };
 
diff --git a/test/unit/util/vm-manager-hoc.test.jsx b/test/unit/util/vm-manager-hoc.test.jsx
index 8c065d83d..4cee7a49c 100644
--- a/test/unit/util/vm-manager-hoc.test.jsx
+++ b/test/unit/util/vm-manager-hoc.test.jsx
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ describe('VMManagerHOC', () => {
     beforeEach(() => {
         store = mockStore({
             scratchGui: {
-                projectState: {}
+                projectState: {},
+                mode: {} // Mocked by using override props in tests when needed
             }
         });
         vm = new VM();
@@ -24,34 +25,79 @@ describe('VMManagerHOC', () => {
         vm.setCompatibilityMode = jest.fn();
         vm.start = jest.fn();
     });
-    test('when it mounts, the vm is initialized', () => {
+    test('when it mounts in player mode, the vm is initialized but not started', () => {
         const Component = () => (<div />);
         const WrappedComponent = vmManagerHOC(Component);
         mount(
             <WrappedComponent
+                isPlayerOnly
                 store={store}
                 vm={vm}
             />
         );
         expect(vm.attachAudioEngine.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
         expect(vm.setCompatibilityMode.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
-        expect(vm.start.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
         expect(vm.initialized).toBe(true);
+
+        // But vm should not be started automatically
+        expect(vm.start.mock.calls.length).toBe(0);
+        expect(vm.started).not.toBe(true);
     });
-    test('if it mounts with an initialized vm, it does not reinitialize the vm', () => {
+    test('when it mounts in editor mode, the vm is initialized and started', () => {
+        const Component = () => (<div />);
+        const WrappedComponent = vmManagerHOC(Component);
+        mount(
+            <WrappedComponent
+                isPlayerOnly={false}
+                store={store}
+                vm={vm}
+            />
+        );
+        expect(vm.attachAudioEngine.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
+        expect(vm.setCompatibilityMode.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
+        expect(vm.initialized).toBe(true);
+
+        expect(vm.start.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
+        expect(vm.started).toBe(true);
+    });
+    test('if it mounts with an initialized vm, it does not reinitialize the vm but will start it', () => {
         const Component = () => <div />;
         const WrappedComponent = vmManagerHOC(Component);
         vm.initialized = true;
+        vm.started = false;
         mount(
             <WrappedComponent
+                isPlayerOnly={false}
                 store={store}
                 vm={vm}
             />
         );
         expect(vm.attachAudioEngine.mock.calls.length).toBe(0);
         expect(vm.setCompatibilityMode.mock.calls.length).toBe(0);
-        expect(vm.start.mock.calls.length).toBe(0);
         expect(vm.initialized).toBe(true);
+
+        expect(vm.start.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
+        expect(vm.started).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    test('if it mounts without starting the VM, it can be started by switching to editor mode', () => {
+        const Component = () => <div />;
+        const WrappedComponent = vmManagerHOC(Component);
+        vm.initialized = true;
+        vm.started = false;
+        const mounted = mount(
+            <WrappedComponent
+                isPlayerOnly
+                store={store}
+                vm={vm}
+            />
+        );
+        expect(vm.start.mock.calls.length).toBe(0);
+        mounted.setProps({
+            isPlayerOnly: false
+        });
+        expect(vm.start.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
+        expect(vm.started).toBe(true);
     });
     test('if the isLoadingWithId prop becomes true, it loads project data into the vm', () => {
         vm.loadProject = jest.fn(() => Promise.resolve());