diff --git a/src/qtgui/iq_tool.cpp b/src/qtgui/iq_tool.cpp
index 22502e26eb..9b0e596bd6 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/iq_tool.cpp
+++ b/src/qtgui/iq_tool.cpp
@@ -99,6 +99,20 @@ void CIqTool::on_listWidget_currentTextChanged(const QString &currentText)
 
 }
 
+/*! \brief Show/hide/enable/disable GUI controls */
+
+void CIqTool::switchControlsState(bool recording, bool playback)
+{
+    ui->recButton->setEnabled(!playback);
+
+    ui->playButton->setEnabled(!recording);
+    ui->slider->setEnabled(!recording);
+
+    ui->listWidget->setEnabled(!(recording || playback));
+    ui->recDirEdit->setEnabled(!(recording || playback));
+    ui->recDirButton->setEnabled(!(recording || playback));
+}
+
 /*! \brief Start/stop playback */
 void CIqTool::on_playButton_clicked(bool checked)
 {
@@ -125,8 +139,8 @@ void CIqTool::on_playButton_clicked(bool checked)
         else
         {
             on_listWidget_currentTextChanged(current_file);
-            ui->listWidget->setEnabled(false);
-            ui->recButton->setEnabled(false);
+            switchControlsState(false, true);
+
             emit startPlayback(recdir->absoluteFilePath(current_file),
                                (float)sample_rate, center_freq);
         }
@@ -134,8 +148,7 @@ void CIqTool::on_playButton_clicked(bool checked)
     else
     {
         emit stopPlayback();
-        ui->listWidget->setEnabled(true);
-        ui->recButton->setEnabled(true);
+        switchControlsState(false, false);
         ui->slider->setValue(0);
     }
 }
@@ -148,9 +161,7 @@ void CIqTool::on_playButton_clicked(bool checked)
  */
 void CIqTool::cancelPlayback()
 {
-    ui->playButton->setChecked(false);
-    ui->listWidget->setEnabled(true);
-    ui->recButton->setEnabled(true);
+    switchControlsState(false, false);
     is_playing = false;
 }
 
@@ -172,7 +183,7 @@ void CIqTool::on_recButton_clicked(bool checked)
 
     if (checked)
     {
-        ui->playButton->setEnabled(false);
+        switchControlsState(true, false);
         emit startRecording(recdir->path());
 
         refreshDir();
@@ -180,7 +191,7 @@ void CIqTool::on_recButton_clicked(bool checked)
     }
     else
     {
-        ui->playButton->setEnabled(true);
+        switchControlsState(false, false);
         emit stopRecording();
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/qtgui/iq_tool.h b/src/qtgui/iq_tool.h
index 5ebe30a089..bf04b98c12 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/iq_tool.h
+++ b/src/qtgui/iq_tool.h
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ private slots:
     void refreshDir(void);
     void refreshTimeWidgets(void);
     void parseFileName(const QString &filename);
+    void switchControlsState(bool recording, bool playback);
+
 
 private:
     Ui::CIqTool *ui;