diff --git a/scripts/qa-radio.mjs b/scripts/qa-radio.mjs
index d78c3dbcc..115a3c76d 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-radio.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-radio.mjs
@@ -3820,7 +3820,15 @@ async function main() {
       radio.stopPlayback();
       Array.from({ length: gev.viewer.dataSources.length }, (_, index) => gev.viewer.dataSources.get(index))
         .find((item) => item.name === 'Radio stations').clustering.enabled = true;
-      radio.selectStation('00000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000001', { autoplay: false, focus: false });
+      // Next only carries playback once a stream is active (HAL-722), so the
+      // fallback scenario starts from a playing station.
+      radio.selectStation('00000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000001', { autoplay: true, focus: false });
+    });
+    await page.waitForFunction(() => window.__godsEyeView.dataManager.layers.get('radio').module.getUIState().audioState === 'playing');
+    await page.evaluate(() => {
+      const gev = window.__godsEyeView;
+      const camera = gev.viewer.camera;
+      const radio = gev.dataManager.layers.get('radio').module;
       const pool = gev.styleManager._radioControls._radioTunerPool;
       const selectedIndex = pool.findIndex((station) => station.id === radio.getUIState().selected?.id);
       window.__qaRadioExpectedPrimary = pool[(selectedIndex + 1) % pool.length];
diff --git a/src/ui/radioBindings.js b/src/ui/radioBindings.js
index 88756d5bc..8f48b9bc9 100644
--- a/src/ui/radioBindings.js
+++ b/src/ui/radioBindings.js
@@ -338,9 +338,14 @@ export function bindRadioControls() {
     const pool = this._radioTunerPool.length
       ? this._radioTunerPool
       : this._radioTunerStations;
+    // Stepping only selects until the user has pressed Play; once a stream is
+    // active it follows the selection so the old broadcaster does not keep
+    // playing under a new station label.
+    const { audioState } = this.radio.getUIState();
     const cycled = this.radio.cycleStation(direction, {
       rotate,
       stationIds: pool.map((station) => station.id),
+      autoplay: ['loading', 'buffering', 'playing'].includes(audioState),
       origin: 'user',
     });
     if (!cycled) {
diff --git a/src/ui/radioControls.test.mjs b/src/ui/radioControls.test.mjs
index b99c96a18..83bbafd7c 100644
--- a/src/ui/radioControls.test.mjs
+++ b/src/ui/radioControls.test.mjs
@@ -40,8 +40,11 @@ function fixture() {
   const panel = new Element();
   const enable = new Element();
   const next = new Element();
+  const prev = new Element();
   const calls = [];
+  const cycleOptions = [];
   const subscribers = [];
+  const uiState = { audioState: 'stopped' };
   const radio = {
     subscribe(callback) {
       subscribers.push(callback);
@@ -51,10 +54,12 @@ function fixture() {
     endTuning() {
       calls.push('endTuning');
     },
-    cycleStation(direction) {
+    cycleStation(direction, options) {
       calls.push(['cycle', direction]);
+      cycleOptions.push(options);
       return true;
     },
+    getUIState: () => uiState,
   };
   const actions = {
     isRegistered: () => true,
@@ -73,6 +78,7 @@ function fixture() {
       _radioPanel: panel,
       _radioEnableBtn: enable,
       _radioNextBtn: next,
+      _radioPrevBtn: prev,
     },
     radio,
     actions,
@@ -82,8 +88,11 @@ function fixture() {
     controls,
     enable,
     next,
+    prev,
     actions,
     calls,
+    cycleOptions,
+    uiState,
     subscribers,
     document,
     cleanup() {
@@ -172,3 +181,31 @@ test('destruction releases an active tuner pointer after revoking listeners', ()
     f.cleanup();
   }
 });
+
+test('Next and Previous select without playing until playback has started', () => {
+  const f = fixture();
+  try {
+    f.controls.connect();
+    for (const audioState of ['stopped', 'paused', 'error']) {
+      f.uiState.audioState = audioState;
+      f.next.dispatchEvent(new Event('click'));
+      f.prev.dispatchEvent(new Event('click'));
+    }
+    assert.deepEqual(
+      f.cycleOptions.map((options) => options.autoplay),
+      [false, false, false, false, false, false],
+    );
+    f.cycleOptions.length = 0;
+    for (const audioState of ['loading', 'buffering', 'playing']) {
+      f.uiState.audioState = audioState;
+      f.next.dispatchEvent(new Event('click'));
+      f.prev.dispatchEvent(new Event('click'));
+    }
+    assert.deepEqual(
+      f.cycleOptions.map((options) => options.autoplay),
+      [true, true, true, true, true, true],
+    );
+  } finally {
+    f.cleanup();
+  }
+});