diff --git a/src/break_out/controller/Controller.java b/src/break_out/controller/Controller.java
index 10b4ab7..6a50979 100644
--- a/src/break_out/controller/Controller.java
+++ b/src/break_out/controller/Controller.java
@@ -104,7 +104,6 @@ public class Controller implements ActionListener, KeyListener {
 	 */
 	@Override
 	public void keyTyped(KeyEvent e) {
-
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -114,6 +113,14 @@ public class Controller implements ActionListener, KeyListener {
 	 */
 	@Override
 	public void keyPressed(KeyEvent e) {
+		switch(e.getKeyCode()) {
+			// space bar was pressed
+			case KeyEvent.VK_SPACE:
+				// start-stop mechanism for the ball
+				if(!game.getLevel().ballWasStarted())  game.getLevel().startBall();
+				else game.getLevel().stopBall();
+				break;
+		}
 
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/break_out/model/Level.java b/src/break_out/model/Level.java
index 36229c9..3754d7f 100644
--- a/src/break_out/model/Level.java
+++ b/src/break_out/model/Level.java
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ public class Level extends Thread implements ILevel {
 	/**
 	 * Flag that shows if the ball was started
 	 */
-	private boolean ballWasStarted = true;
+	private boolean ballWasStarted = false;
 
 	/**
 	 * The paddles of the level