diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index d5ba3ad..ef0fdea 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ Changelog for Stingray Controller
 Added:
 ^^^^^^
 - Handling for new firmware error reporting
+- Stim waiting state to add spinner to stim start/stop button
 
 
 0.3.0 (unreleased)
diff --git a/ui/components/status/StatusBar.vue b/ui/components/status/StatusBar.vue
index 5d557b7..37a3af5 100644
--- a/ui/components/status/StatusBar.vue
+++ b/ui/components/status/StatusBar.vue
@@ -260,7 +260,11 @@ export default {
     },
     stimStatus: function (newStatus) {
       // only let stim messages through if system is in idle ready state
-      if (this.statusUuid === SYSTEM_STATUS.IDLE_READY_STATE) this.setStimSpecificStatus(newStatus);
+      if (this.statusUuid === SYSTEM_STATUS.IDLE_READY_STATE) {
+        if (newStatus === STIM_STATUS.WAITING) newStatus = this.stimPlayState ? "Stopping..." : "Starting...";
+
+        this.setStimSpecificStatus(newStatus);
+      }
     },
     confirmationRequest: async function () {
       const stimOpsInProgress =
diff --git a/ui/components/stimulation/StimulationStudioControls.vue b/ui/components/stimulation/StimulationStudioControls.vue
index 8913d64..52719ce 100644
--- a/ui/components/stimulation/StimulationStudioControls.vue
+++ b/ui/components/stimulation/StimulationStudioControls.vue
@@ -25,19 +25,19 @@
           </svg>
           <span :class="svg__StimulationStudioControlsPlayStopButton__dynamicClass" @click="handlePlayStop">
             <div
-              v-if="!playState"
-              id="start-stim-button"
-              v-b-popover.hover.top="startStimLabel"
-              title="Start Stimulation"
+              v-b-popover.hover.bottom="playState ? stopStimLabel : startStimLabel"
+              :title="playState ? 'Stop Stimulation' : 'Start Stimulation'"
             >
-              <!-- this is here for testing the popover message -->
-              <span id="start-popover-msg" style="display: none">{{ startStimLabel }}</span>
-              <FontAwesomeIcon class="fontawesome-icon-class" :icon="['fa', 'play-circle']" />
-            </div>
-            <div v-if="playState" v-b-popover.hover.bottom="stopStimLabel" title="Stop Stimulation">
-              <!-- this is here for testing the popover message -->
-              <span id="stop-popover-msg" style="display: none">{{ stopStimLabel }}</span>
-              <FontAwesomeIcon class="fontawesome-icon-class" :icon="['fa', 'stop-circle']" />
+              <span :id="playState ? 'stop-popover-msg' : 'start-popover-msg'" style="display: none">{{
+                playState ? stopStimLabel : startStimLabel
+              }}</span>
+              <FontAwesomeIcon
+                class="fontawesome-icon-class"
+                :icon="playState ? ['fa', 'stop-circle'] : ['fa', 'play-circle']"
+              />
+              <span v-show="isStimInWaiting" class="span__start-stop-spinner">
+                <FontAwesomeIcon :style="'fill: #ececed;'" :icon="['fa', 'spinner']" pulse />
+              </span>
             </div>
           </span>
         </div>
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@
             <line class="svg__inner-line" x1="34.8" y1="17.28" x2="21.16" y2="30.91" />
             <line class="svg__inner-line" x1="58.73" y1="30.87" x2="50.48" y2="30.87" />
           </svg>
-          <span v-show="configCheckInProgress" class="span__spinner">
+          <span v-show="configCheckInProgress" class="span__config-check-spinner">
             <FontAwesomeIcon :style="'fill: #ececed;'" :icon="['fa', 'spinner']" pulse />
           </span>
         </div>
@@ -274,7 +274,12 @@ export default {
         opacity: this.disabled ? 0.5 : 1,
       };
     },
+    isStimInWaiting: function () {
+      return this.stimStatus === STIM_STATUS.WAITING;
+    },
     isStartStopButtonEnabled: function () {
+      if (this.isStimInWaiting) return false;
+
       if (!this.playState) {
         // if starting stim make sure initial magnetometer calibration has been completed and
         // no additional calibrations are running, stim checks have completed, there are no short or
@@ -396,6 +401,8 @@ export default {
     async handlePlayStop(e) {
       e.preventDefault();
       if (this.isStartStopButtonEnabled) {
+        this.$store.commit("stimulation/setStimStatus", STIM_STATUS.WAITING);
+
         if (this.playState) {
           this.$store.dispatch(`stimulation/stopStimulation`);
           clearTimeout(this.stim24hrTimer); // clear 24 hour timer for next stimulation
@@ -490,7 +497,7 @@ body {
   grid-template-columns: repeat(25%, 4);
   align-items: center;
   justify-items: center;
-  padding: 5px;
+  padding: 2px;
 }
 
 .span__stimulation-controls-play-stop-button--disabled {
@@ -571,11 +578,11 @@ body {
   width: 20px;
 }
 
-.span__spinner {
+.span__config-check-spinner {
   position: absolute;
   font-size: 34px;
-  right: 17.5px;
-  bottom: 15px;
+  left: 5px;
+  top: 0px;
   width: 45px;
   color: #fff;
   padding-left: 5px;
@@ -640,6 +647,17 @@ body {
   fill: none;
 }
 
+.span__start-stop-spinner {
+  position: absolute;
+  font-size: 20px;
+  right: 2px;
+  bottom: 3px;
+  color: #fff;
+  padding-left: 5px;
+  background-color: #000;
+  opacity: 0.75;
+}
+
 #user-input-prompt-message,
 #open-circuit-warning,
 #stim-24hr-warning,
diff --git a/ui/components/stimulation/StimulationStudioCreateAndEdit.vue b/ui/components/stimulation/StimulationStudioCreateAndEdit.vue
index 6be6b77..9e20ad9 100644
--- a/ui/components/stimulation/StimulationStudioCreateAndEdit.vue
+++ b/ui/components/stimulation/StimulationStudioCreateAndEdit.vue
@@ -80,10 +80,13 @@ export default {
     };
   },
   computed: {
-    ...mapState("stimulation", ["protocolList", "editMode"]),
+    ...mapState("stimulation", ["protocolList", "editMode", "selectedWells"]),
     editModeStatus: function () {
       return this.editMode.status;
     },
+    noWellsSelected: function () {
+      return this.selectedWells.length === 0;
+    },
   },
   watch: {
     protocolList: function (newList, oldList) {
@@ -113,7 +116,11 @@ export default {
       this.$emit("handle-selection-change", selectedProtocol);
     },
     disableSelectionBtn(idx) {
-      return this.disableEdits || (this.selectedProtocolIdx === 0 && idx === 0);
+      return (
+        this.disableEdits ||
+        (this.selectedProtocolIdx === 0 && idx === 0) ||
+        (this.noWellsSelected && idx === 0)
+      );
     },
     handleClick(idx) {
       if (this.disableSelectionBtn(idx)) {
diff --git a/ui/store/modules/stimulation/enums.js b/ui/store/modules/stimulation/enums.js
index efcff5b..36b9f8e 100644
--- a/ui/store/modules/stimulation/enums.js
+++ b/ui/store/modules/stimulation/enums.js
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ export const STIM_STATUS = {
   READY: "Ready",
   // stim play states
   STIM_ACTIVE: "Stimulating...",
+  // used to show spinner in stim controls over play/stop button
+  WAITING: "",
 
   // error
   SHORT_CIRCUIT_ERROR: "Short Circuit Error",