diff --git a/src/utils-lgpl/fcplay.c b/src/utils-lgpl/fcplay.c
index eac0712..57a86e3 100644
--- a/src/utils-lgpl/fcplay.c
+++ b/src/utils-lgpl/fcplay.c
@@ -24,6 +24,12 @@
 
 static int verbose;
 
+enum continuous_playback_mode {
+	PLAYBACK_MODE_NOP     = 0, /* sequential: files are streamed continuously */
+	PLAYBACK_MODE_GAPLESS = 1, /* gapless: uses kernel gapless API */
+	PLAYBACK_MODE_RESTART = 2, /* restart: compress device is drained, closed and reopened between tracks */
+};
+
 static const struct {
 	const char *name;
 	unsigned int id;
@@ -52,21 +58,24 @@ static void usage(void)
 {
 	int i;
 
-	fprintf(stderr, "usage: cplay [OPTIONS] filename\n"
+	fprintf(stderr, "usage: fcplay [OPTIONS] file1 [file2 ...]\n"
 		"-c\tcard number\n"
 		"-d\tdevice node\n"
 		"-I\tspecify codec ID (default is mp3)\n"
 		"-b\tbuffer size\n"
 		"-f\tfragments\n"
-		"-g\tgapless play\n\n"
+		"-p\tcontinuous playback mode:\n"
+		"\t  0 = NOP (default): files streamed continuously\n"
+		"\t  1 = gapless: kernel gapless API, no audible gap\n"
+		"\t  2 = restart: compress device drained and reopened between tracks\n"
+		"-g\t(deprecated) equivalent to -p 0/1\n"
 		"-v\tverbose mode\n"
 		"-h\tPrints this help list\n\n"
 		"Example:\n"
 		"\tfcplay -c 1 -d 2 test.mp3\n"
-		"\tfcplay -f 5 test.mp3\n"
 		"\tfcplay -c 1 -d 2 test1.mp3 test2.mp3\n"
 		"\tGapless:\n"
-		"\t\tfcplay -c 1 -d 2 -g 1 test1.mp3 test2.mp3\n\n"
+		"\t\tfcplay -c 1 -d 2 -p 1 test1.mp3 test2.mp3\n\n"
 		"Valid codec IDs:\n");
 
 	for (i = 0; i < CPLAY_NUM_CODEC_IDS; ++i)
@@ -80,7 +89,8 @@ static void usage(void)
 
 void play_samples(char **files, unsigned int card, unsigned int device,
 		unsigned long buffer_size, unsigned int frag,
-		unsigned long codec_id, unsigned int file_count, unsigned int gapless);
+		unsigned long codec_id, unsigned int file_count,
+		enum continuous_playback_mode pb_mode);
 
 static int print_time(struct compress *compress)
 {
@@ -103,13 +113,14 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	int c, i;
 	unsigned int card = 0, device = 0, frag = 0;
 	unsigned int codec_id = SND_AUDIOCODEC_MP3;
-	unsigned int file_count = 0, gapless = 0;
+	unsigned int file_count = 0;
+	enum continuous_playback_mode pb_mode = PLAYBACK_MODE_NOP;
 
 	if (argc < 2)
 		usage();
 
 	verbose = 0;
-	while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, "hvb:f:c:d:I:g:")) != -1) {
+	while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, "hvb:f:c:d:I:g:p:")) != -1) {
 		switch (c) {
 		case 'h':
 			usage();
@@ -127,7 +138,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 			device = strtol(optarg, NULL, 10);
 			break;
 		case 'g':
-			gapless = strtol(optarg, NULL, 10);
+			fprintf(stderr, "Warning: -g is deprecated, use -p instead\n");
+			/* fall through */
+		case 'p':
+			pb_mode = strtol(optarg, NULL, 10);
 			break;
 		case 'I':
 			if (optarg[0] == '0') {
@@ -164,7 +178,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	file_count = argc - optind;
 
 	play_samples(file, card, device, buffer_size, frag, codec_id,
-			file_count, gapless);
+			file_count, pb_mode);
 
 	fprintf(stderr, "Finish Playing.... Close Normally\n");
 	exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
@@ -199,7 +213,7 @@ static int get_codec_id(int codec_id)
 	}
 }
 
-static int parse_file(char *file, struct snd_codec *codec)
+static int parse_file(const char *file, struct snd_codec *codec)
 {
 	AVFormatContext *ctx = NULL;
 	AVStream *stream;
@@ -301,36 +315,21 @@ static int parse_file(char *file, struct snd_codec *codec)
 
 }
 
-void play_samples(char **files, unsigned int card, unsigned int device,
-		unsigned long buffer_size, unsigned int frag,
-		unsigned long codec_id, unsigned int file_count, unsigned int gapless)
+static struct compress *
+compress_open_and_prepare(unsigned int card, unsigned int device,
+			  unsigned long buffer_size, const char *name, FILE *file,
+			  char **buffer_out, int *size_out)
 {
 	struct compr_config config;
-	struct snd_codec codec;
 	struct compress *compress;
-	struct compr_gapless_mdata mdata;
-	FILE *file;
-	char *buffer;
-	char *name;
 	int size, num_read, wrote;
-	unsigned int file_idx = 0, rc = 0;
-
-	if (verbose)
-		printf("%s: entry\n", __func__);
-
-	name = files[file_idx];
-	file = fopen(name, "rb");
-	if (!file) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to open file '%s'\n", name);
-		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-	}
+	struct snd_codec codec;
+	char *buffer;
 
 	memset(&codec, 0, sizeof(codec));
 	memset(&config, 0, sizeof(config));
-	memset(&mdata, 0, sizeof(mdata));
 
 	parse_file(name, &codec);
-
 	config.codec = &codec;
 
 	compress = compress_open(card, device, COMPRESS_IN, &config);
@@ -338,21 +337,21 @@ void play_samples(char **files, unsigned int card, unsigned int device,
 		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to open Compress device %d:%d\n",
 				card, device);
 		fprintf(stderr, "ERR: %s\n", compress_get_error(compress));
-		goto FILE_EXIT;
-	};
+		return NULL;
+	}
 	if (verbose)
 		printf("%s: Opened compress device\n", __func__);
+
 	size = config.fragment_size;
 	buffer = malloc(size * config.fragments);
 	if (!buffer) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to allocate %d bytes\n", size);
-		goto COMP_EXIT;
+		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to allocate %d bytes\n",
+			size * config.fragments);
+		compress_close(compress);
+		return NULL;
 	}
 
-	if (gapless)
-		compress_set_gapless_metadata(compress, &mdata);
-
-	/* we will write frag fragment_size and then start */
+	/* write full buffer data initially */
 	num_read = fread(buffer, 1, size * config.fragments, file);
 	if (num_read > 0) {
 		if (verbose)
@@ -361,13 +360,51 @@ void play_samples(char **files, unsigned int card, unsigned int device,
 		if (wrote < 0) {
 			fprintf(stderr, "Error %d playing sample\n", wrote);
 			fprintf(stderr, "ERR: %s\n", compress_get_error(compress));
-			goto BUF_EXIT;
+			free(buffer);
+			compress_close(compress);
+			return NULL;
 		}
 		if (wrote != num_read) {
 			/* TODO: Buufer pointer needs to be set here */
 			fprintf(stderr, "We wrote %d, DSP accepted %d\n", num_read, wrote);
 		}
 	}
+
+	*buffer_out = buffer;
+	*size_out = size;
+	return compress;
+}
+
+void play_samples(char **files, unsigned int card, unsigned int device,
+		unsigned long buffer_size, unsigned int frag,
+		unsigned long codec_id, unsigned int file_count,
+		enum continuous_playback_mode pb_mode)
+{
+	struct compr_gapless_mdata mdata;
+	struct compress *compress;
+	int size, num_read, wrote;
+	unsigned int file_idx = 0;
+	struct snd_codec codec;
+	char *buffer, *name;
+	FILE *file;
+
+	name = files[file_idx];
+	file = fopen(name, "rb");
+	if (!file) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to open file '%s'\n", name);
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
+
+	compress = compress_open_and_prepare(card, device, buffer_size, name,
+					     file, &buffer, &size);
+	if (!compress)
+		goto FILE_EXIT;
+
+	if (pb_mode == PLAYBACK_MODE_GAPLESS) {
+		memset(&mdata, 0, sizeof(mdata));
+		compress_set_gapless_metadata(compress, &mdata);
+	}
+
 	printf("Playing file %s On Card %u device %u, with buffer of %lu bytes\n",
 			name, card, device, buffer_size);
 	printf("Format %u Channels %u, %u Hz, Bit Rate %d\n",
@@ -388,17 +425,19 @@ void play_samples(char **files, unsigned int card, unsigned int device,
 				printf("Playing file %s On Card %u device %u, with buffer of %lu bytes\n",
 					    name, card, device, buffer_size);
 
-			if (gapless) {
-				parse_file(name, &codec);
+			if (pb_mode == PLAYBACK_MODE_GAPLESS) {
+				int rc;
 
-				rc = compress_next_track(compress);
-				if (rc)
-					fprintf(stderr, "ERR: compress next track set\n");
+				parse_file(name, &codec);
 
 				rc = compress_set_gapless_metadata(compress, &mdata);
 				if (rc)
 					fprintf(stderr, "ERR: set gapless metadata\n");
 
+				rc = compress_next_track(compress);
+				if (rc)
+					fprintf(stderr, "ERR: compress next track set\n");
+
 				rc = compress_set_codec_params(compress, &codec);
 				if (rc)
 					fprintf(stderr, "ERR: set next track codec params\n");
@@ -407,6 +446,25 @@ void play_samples(char **files, unsigned int card, unsigned int device,
 				rc = compress_partial_drain(compress);
 				if (rc)
 					fprintf(stderr, "ERR: partial drain\n");
+			} else if (pb_mode == PLAYBACK_MODE_RESTART) {
+				/* restart: drain, close, and reopen for the new file */
+				compress_drain(compress);
+				compress_close(compress);
+				free(buffer);
+
+				compress = compress_open_and_prepare(card, device, buffer_size,
+								     name, file, &buffer, &size);
+				if (!compress)
+					goto FILE_EXIT;
+
+				printf("Playing file %s On Card %u device %u, with buffer of %lu bytes\n",
+					name, card, device, buffer_size);
+				printf("Format %u Channels %u, %u Hz, Bit Rate %d\n",
+					codec.id, codec.ch_in, codec.sample_rate, codec.bit_rate);
+
+				compress_start(compress);
+				if (verbose)
+					printf("%s: You should hear audio NOW!!!\n", __func__);
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -450,7 +508,6 @@ void play_samples(char **files, unsigned int card, unsigned int device,
 		printf("%s: exit track\n", __func__);
 BUF_EXIT:
 	free(buffer);
-COMP_EXIT:
 	compress_close(compress);
 FILE_EXIT:
 	fclose(file);