diff --git a/src/experimental/studio/app.cc b/src/experimental/studio/app.cc
index 4eb5bbcc..350f8595 100644
--- a/src/experimental/studio/app.cc
+++ b/src/experimental/studio/app.cc
@@ -245,10 +245,16 @@ void App::LoadModelFromBuffer(std::span<const std::byte> buffer,
 
 void App::InitModel(mjModel* model, mjSpec* spec, mjVFS* vfs,
                     std::string filename, ModelKind model_kind) {
+  if (model_kind_ == kEmptyModel) {
+    step_control_.Unpause();
+  }
   ClearModel();
 
   model_path_ = std::move(filename);
   model_kind_ = model_kind;
+  if (model_kind_ == kEmptyModel) {
+    step_control_.Pause();
+  }
 
   spec_ = spec;
   model_ = model;