diff --git a/frontend/app/player/player/Player.ts b/frontend/app/player/player/Player.ts
index 837443f3f..9ebd04259 100644
--- a/frontend/app/player/player/Player.ts
+++ b/frontend/app/player/player/Player.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ const SKIP_TO_ISSUE_STORAGE_KEY = "__$session-skipToIssue$__"
 const AUTOPLAY_STORAGE_KEY = "__$player-autoplay$__"
 const SHOW_EVENTS_STORAGE_KEY = "__$player-show-events$__"
 const storedSpeed: number = typedLocalStorage.number(SPEED_STORAGE_KEY)
-const initialSpeed = [1, 2, 4, 8, 16].includes(storedSpeed) ? storedSpeed : 1
+const initialSpeed = [0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16].includes(storedSpeed) ? storedSpeed : 0.5
 const initialSkip = typedLocalStorage.boolean(SKIP_STORAGE_KEY)
 const initialSkipToIssue = typedLocalStorage.boolean(SKIP_TO_ISSUE_STORAGE_KEY)
 const initialAutoplay = typedLocalStorage.boolean(AUTOPLAY_STORAGE_KEY)
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ export default class Player extends Animator {
 
   toggleSpeed() {
     const { speed } = this.pState.get()
-    this.updateSpeed(speed < HIGHEST_SPEED ? speed * 2 : 1)
+    this.updateSpeed(speed < HIGHEST_SPEED ? speed * 2 : 0.5)
   }
 
   speedUp() {