diff --git a/gleam.toml b/gleam.toml
index fcaabef..70b914e 100644
--- a/gleam.toml
+++ b/gleam.toml
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ gleam_stdlib = ">= 0.44.0 and < 2.0.0"
 gleam_otp = ">= 1.2.0 and < 2.0.0"
 gleam_erlang = ">= 1.3.0 and < 2.0.0"
 simplifile = ">= 2.3.1 and < 3.0.0"
+gleam_json = ">= 3.1.0 and < 4.0.0"
 
 [dev-dependencies]
 gleeunit = ">= 1.0.0 and < 2.0.0"
diff --git a/manifest.toml b/manifest.toml
index c3d61b4..a94ff87 100644
--- a/manifest.toml
+++ b/manifest.toml
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 packages = [
   { name = "filepath", version = "1.1.2", build_tools = ["gleam"], requirements = ["gleam_stdlib"], otp_app = "filepath", source = "hex", outer_checksum = "B06A9AF0BF10E51401D64B98E4B627F1D2E48C154967DA7AF4D0914780A6D40A" },
   { name = "gleam_erlang", version = "1.3.0", build_tools = ["gleam"], requirements = ["gleam_stdlib"], otp_app = "gleam_erlang", source = "hex", outer_checksum = "1124AD3AA21143E5AF0FC5CF3D9529F6DB8CA03E43A55711B60B6B7B3874375C" },
+  { name = "gleam_json", version = "3.1.0", build_tools = ["gleam"], requirements = ["gleam_stdlib"], otp_app = "gleam_json", source = "hex", outer_checksum = "44FDAA8847BE8FC48CA7A1C089706BD54BADCC4C45B237A992EDDF9F2CDB2836" },
   { name = "gleam_otp", version = "1.2.0", build_tools = ["gleam"], requirements = ["gleam_erlang", "gleam_stdlib"], otp_app = "gleam_otp", source = "hex", outer_checksum = "BA6A294E295E428EC1562DC1C11EA7530DCB981E8359134BEABC8493B7B2258E" },
   { name = "gleam_stdlib", version = "0.65.0", build_tools = ["gleam"], requirements = [], otp_app = "gleam_stdlib", source = "hex", outer_checksum = "7C69C71D8C493AE11A5184828A77110EB05A7786EBF8B25B36A72F879C3EE107" },
   { name = "gleeunit", version = "1.9.0", build_tools = ["gleam"], requirements = ["gleam_stdlib"], otp_app = "gleeunit", source = "hex", outer_checksum = "DA9553CE58B67924B3C631F96FE3370C49EB6D6DC6B384EC4862CC4AAA718F3C" },
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@ packages = [
 
 [requirements]
 gleam_erlang = { version = ">= 1.3.0 and < 2.0.0" }
+gleam_json = { version = ">= 3.1.0 and < 4.0.0" }
 gleam_otp = { version = ">= 1.2.0 and < 2.0.0" }
 gleam_stdlib = { version = ">= 0.44.0 and < 2.0.0" }
 gleeunit = { version = ">= 1.0.0 and < 2.0.0" }
diff --git a/src/mpv/control.gleam b/src/mpv/control.gleam
index 2b0e429..baec582 100644
--- a/src/mpv/control.gleam
+++ b/src/mpv/control.gleam
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+import gleam/json
+import gleam/result
+
 import mpv/key.{type Key}
 import tcp/reason.{type Reason}
 import tcp/tcp.{type Socket}
@@ -23,5 +26,28 @@ fn char_control(char: String) -> Result(Control, Nil) {
 }
 
 pub fn toggle_play_pause(socket: Socket) -> Result(Nil, Reason) {
-  tcp.send(socket, "{\"command\":[\"cycle\",\"pause\"]}\n")
+  let command =
+    json.object([#("command", json.array(["cycle", "pause"], of: json.string))])
+
+  result.map(send_command(socket, command), fn(_) { Nil })
+}
+
+// https://mpv.io/manual/master/#command-interface-playback-time
+pub fn get_playback_time(socket: Socket) -> Result(String, Reason) {
+  let command =
+    json.object([
+      #(
+        "command",
+        json.array(["get_property_string", "playback-time"], of: json.string),
+      ),
+    ])
+
+  send_command(socket, command)
+}
+
+fn send_command(socket: Socket, command: json.Json) -> Result(String, Reason) {
+  result.try(tcp.send(socket, json.to_string(command) <> "\n"), fn(_) {
+    let timeout_ms = 10_000
+    tcp.receive(socket, timeout_ms)
+  })
 }
diff --git a/src/mpv/mpv.gleam b/src/mpv/mpv.gleam
index 7a24a86..9208c19 100644
--- a/src/mpv/mpv.gleam
+++ b/src/mpv/mpv.gleam
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ fn handle_message(
         result.map_error(control.toggle_play_pause(state.socket), fn(r) {
           echo "Could not toggle play/pause: " <> reason.to_string(r)
         })
+      let _ =
+        result.map(control.get_playback_time(state.socket), fn(playback) {
+          echo "playback: " <> playback
+        })
       actor.continue(state)
     }
     control.Exit -> {