diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 5d14547..7194ffb 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ fn main() -> io::Result<()> {
                 routes::index,
                 routes::history,
                 routes::create_category,
-                routes::toggle_category,
+                routes::activate_category,
+                routes::deactivate_category,
             ],
         );
 
diff --git a/src/routes.rs b/src/routes.rs
index 0ec7883..62d9084 100644
--- a/src/routes.rs
+++ b/src/routes.rs
@@ -32,8 +32,18 @@ pub fn create_category(category: Form<NewCategory>, db: State<'_, sled::Db>) ->
     Ok(Redirect::to(uri!(index)))
 }
 
-#[post("/toggle_category/<category_uuid>")]
-pub fn toggle_category(category_uuid: String, db: State<'_, sled::Db>) -> Result<Redirect, StatusJson> {
+
+#[post("/set_category/<category_uuid>/active")]
+pub fn activate_category(category_uuid: String, db: State<'_, sled::Db>) -> Result<StatusJson, StatusJson> {
+    toggle_category(category_uuid, true, db)
+}
+
+#[post("/set_category/<category_uuid>/inactive")]
+pub fn deactivate_category(category_uuid: String, db: State<'_, sled::Db>) -> Result<StatusJson, StatusJson> {
+    toggle_category(category_uuid, false, db)
+}
+
+pub fn toggle_category(category_uuid: String, set_active: bool, db: State<'_, sled::Db>) -> Result<StatusJson, StatusJson> {
     let category_uuid = Uuid::parse_str(&category_uuid)?;
     let category_uuid_s = sled::IVec::from(serialize(&category_uuid)?);
 
@@ -49,8 +59,8 @@ pub fn toggle_category(category_uuid: String, db: State<'_, sled::Db>) -> Result
                     let mut category: categories::V = dbg!(deserialize(&data).unwrap());
                     let now = Utc::now().naive_utc();
 
-                    match category.started.take() {
-                        Some(started) => {
+                    match (set_active, category.started.take()) {
+                        (false, Some(started)) => {
                             // only save sessions longer than 5 minutes
                             let duration = now - started;
                             if duration > Duration::minutes(5) {
@@ -63,16 +73,20 @@ pub fn toggle_category(category_uuid: String, db: State<'_, sled::Db>) -> Result
                                 tx_past_sessions.insert(session_uuid, serialize(&past_session).unwrap())?;
                             }
                         }
-                        None => {
+                        (true, None) => {
                             category.started = Some(now);
                         }
+                        _ => {
+                            // Category is already in the correct state
+                            return Ok(Ok(Status::Ok.into()));
+                        }
                     }
 
                     tx_categories.insert(&category_uuid_s, serialize(&category).unwrap())?;
                 }
             }
 
-            Ok(Ok(Redirect::to(uri!(index))))
+            Ok(Ok(Status::Ok.into()))
         })??)
 }
 
diff --git a/templates/index.hbs b/templates/index.hbs
index 60f176b..bec994d 100644
--- a/templates/index.hbs
+++ b/templates/index.hbs
@@ -12,7 +12,21 @@
         <title>stl</title>
         <script>
             function toggle_category(id) {
-                var url = "/toggle_category/" + id;
+                // Find out whether the button is in active (play) or inactive (paused) state
+                let toggled_class = "category_button_toggled";
+                let cl = document.getElementById("button-" + id).classList;
+                let active = cl.contains(toggled_class);
+
+                // Get the corresponding route to activate/inactivate the category
+                let url;
+                if(active) {
+                    url = "/set_category/" + id + "/inactive";
+                    cl.remove(toggled_class);
+                } else {
+                    url = "/set_category/" + id + "/active";
+                    cl.add(toggled_class);
+                }
+
                 //var params = "lorem=ipsum&name=alpha";
                 var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest();
                 xhr.open("POST", url, true);
@@ -21,14 +35,6 @@
                 xhr.setRequestHeader("Content-type", "application/x-www-form-urlencoded");
 
                 xhr.send();
-
-                let toggled_class = "category_button_toggled";
-                let cl = document.getElementById("button-" + id).classList;
-                if(cl.contains(toggled_class)) {
-                    cl.remove(toggled_class);
-                } else {
-                    cl.add(toggled_class);
-                }
             }
         </script>
     </head>