diff --git a/server/subsonic/e2e/subsonic_sonic_similarity_test.go b/server/subsonic/e2e/subsonic_sonic_similarity_test.go
index c0cb1d359..3c71a994c 100644
--- a/server/subsonic/e2e/subsonic_sonic_similarity_test.go
+++ b/server/subsonic/e2e/subsonic_sonic_similarity_test.go
@@ -10,11 +10,13 @@ import (
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/core"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/core/agents"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/core/artwork"
+	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/core/ffmpeg"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/core/lyrics"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/core/matcher"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/core/metrics"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/core/playback"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/core/playlists"
+	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/core/podcasts"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/core/scrobbler"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/core/sonic"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/core/stream"
@@ -51,6 +53,7 @@ func buildSonicRouter(provider sonic.Provider) *subsonic.Router {
 		metrics.NewNoopInstance(),
 		lyrics.NewLyrics(ds, nil),
 		decider,
+		podcasts.NewPodcastService(context.Background(), ds, ffmpeg.New(), events.NoopBroker()),
 		sonicSvc,
 	)
 }
diff --git a/ui/src/podcast/EpisodeActions.jsx b/ui/src/podcast/EpisodeActions.jsx
index ce55cc0c8..edea9bd34 100644
--- a/ui/src/podcast/EpisodeActions.jsx
+++ b/ui/src/podcast/EpisodeActions.jsx
@@ -1,30 +1,56 @@
 import React from 'react'
+import { useDispatch } from 'react-redux'
 import { IconButton, CircularProgress } from '@material-ui/core'
 import GetAppIcon from '@material-ui/icons/GetApp'
 import DeleteIcon from '@material-ui/icons/Delete'
+import PlayArrowIcon from '@material-ui/icons/PlayArrow'
 import subsonic from '../subsonic'
+import { setTrack } from '../actions'
 
-const EpisodeActions = ({ episode, onRefresh }) => {
+const EpisodeActions = ({ episode, onRefresh, channelTitle }) => {
+  const dispatch = useDispatch()
 
   const handleDownload = async () => {
     await subsonic.downloadPodcastEpisode(episode.id)
     onRefresh?.()
   }
 
-  const handleDelete = async () => {
+  const handleDelete = async (e) => {
+    e.stopPropagation()
     await subsonic.deletePodcastEpisode(episode.id)
     onRefresh?.()
   }
 
+  const handlePlay = (e) => {
+    e.stopPropagation()
+    dispatch(
+      setTrack({
+        id: episode.streamId,
+        title: episode.title,
+        album: channelTitle || episode.channelId,
+        artist: '',
+        duration: episode.duration,
+        suffix: episode.suffix,
+        isPodcast: true,
+        channelId: episode.channelId,
+      }),
+    )
+  }
+
   if (episode.status === 'downloading') {
     return <CircularProgress size={20} />
   }
 
   if (episode.status === 'completed') {
     return (
-      <IconButton aria-label="delete" size="small" onClick={handleDelete}>
-        <DeleteIcon fontSize="small" />
-      </IconButton>
+      <>
+        <IconButton aria-label="play" size="small" onClick={handlePlay}>
+          <PlayArrowIcon fontSize="small" />
+        </IconButton>
+        <IconButton aria-label="delete" size="small" onClick={handleDelete}>
+          <DeleteIcon fontSize="small" />
+        </IconButton>
+      </>
     )
   }
 
diff --git a/ui/src/podcast/PodcastCreate.test.jsx b/ui/src/podcast/PodcastCreate.test.jsx
index 2a88379a4..948594439 100644
--- a/ui/src/podcast/PodcastCreate.test.jsx
+++ b/ui/src/podcast/PodcastCreate.test.jsx
@@ -3,7 +3,17 @@ import { render, screen, fireEvent, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react'
 import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from 'vitest'
 
 vi.mock('../subsonic', () => ({
-  default: { createPodcastChannel: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({}) },
+  default: {
+    createPodcastChannel: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({}),
+    previewPodcastFeed: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({
+      json: {
+        title: 'Example Podcast',
+        description: 'An example feed',
+        episodeCount: 3,
+        alreadyExists: false,
+      },
+    }),
+  },
 }))
 
 const mockRedirect = vi.fn()
@@ -19,12 +29,27 @@ vi.mock('react-admin', async (importOriginal) => {
     useRedirect: () => mockRedirect,
     useRefresh: () => mockRefresh,
     Title: () => null,
+    Button: ({ children, onClick, label, disabled }) => (
+      <button aria-label={label} onClick={onClick} disabled={disabled}>
+        {children}
+      </button>
+    ),
   }
 })
 
 import subsonic from '../subsonic'
 import PodcastCreate from './PodcastCreate'
 
+const fetchPreview = async (url) => {
+  fireEvent.change(screen.getByRole('textbox'), { target: { value: url } })
+  fireEvent.click(
+    screen.getByLabelText('resources.podcast.actions.fetchFeed'),
+  )
+  await waitFor(() => {
+    expect(subsonic.previewPodcastFeed).toHaveBeenCalledWith(url)
+  })
+}
+
 describe('PodcastCreate', () => {
   beforeEach(() => vi.clearAllMocks())
 
@@ -33,12 +58,18 @@ describe('PodcastCreate', () => {
     expect(screen.getByRole('textbox')).toBeTruthy()
   })
 
-  it('calls createPodcastChannel with the entered URL on submit', async () => {
+  it('fetches a preview of the feed for the entered URL', async () => {
     render(<PodcastCreate />)
-    fireEvent.change(screen.getByRole('textbox'), {
-      target: { value: 'https://example.com/feed.xml' },
-    })
-    fireEvent.submit(screen.getByRole('form'))
+    await fetchPreview('https://example.com/feed.xml')
+    expect(await screen.findByText('Example Podcast')).toBeTruthy()
+  })
+
+  it('calls createPodcastChannel with the entered URL when adding the previewed channel', async () => {
+    render(<PodcastCreate />)
+    await fetchPreview('https://example.com/feed.xml')
+    fireEvent.click(
+      await screen.findByLabelText('resources.podcast.actions.addChannel'),
+    )
     await waitFor(() => {
       expect(subsonic.createPodcastChannel).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         'https://example.com/feed.xml',
@@ -46,12 +77,12 @@ describe('PodcastCreate', () => {
     })
   })
 
-  it('redirects to /podcast after successful submit', async () => {
+  it('redirects to /podcast after successfully adding the channel', async () => {
     render(<PodcastCreate />)
-    fireEvent.change(screen.getByRole('textbox'), {
-      target: { value: 'https://example.com/feed.xml' },
-    })
-    fireEvent.submit(screen.getByRole('form'))
+    await fetchPreview('https://example.com/feed.xml')
+    fireEvent.click(
+      await screen.findByLabelText('resources.podcast.actions.addChannel'),
+    )
     await waitFor(() => {
       expect(mockRedirect).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/podcast')
     })
@@ -59,10 +90,10 @@ describe('PodcastCreate', () => {
 
   it('notifies on success', async () => {
     render(<PodcastCreate />)
-    fireEvent.change(screen.getByRole('textbox'), {
-      target: { value: 'https://example.com/feed.xml' },
-    })
-    fireEvent.submit(screen.getByRole('form'))
+    await fetchPreview('https://example.com/feed.xml')
+    fireEvent.click(
+      await screen.findByLabelText('resources.podcast.actions.addChannel'),
+    )
     await waitFor(() => {
       expect(mockNotify).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         'resources.podcast.notifications.channelAdded',
diff --git a/ui/src/podcast/PodcastShow.jsx b/ui/src/podcast/PodcastShow.jsx
index 6f98b4d5a..2a462effc 100644
--- a/ui/src/podcast/PodcastShow.jsx
+++ b/ui/src/podcast/PodcastShow.jsx
@@ -212,7 +212,11 @@ const PodcastShow = (props) => {
                     <StatusBadge status={ep.status} errorMessage={ep.errorMessage} downloadedBytes={ep.downloadedBytes} size={ep.size} />
                   </TableCell>
                   <TableCell>
-                    <EpisodeActions episode={ep} onRefresh={loadEpisodes} />
+                    <EpisodeActions
+                      episode={ep}
+                      onRefresh={loadEpisodes}
+                      channelTitle={record.title}
+                    />
                   </TableCell>
                 </TableRow>
               ))}
diff --git a/ui/src/podcast/StatusBadge.jsx b/ui/src/podcast/StatusBadge.jsx
index fd968e1ee..a78a6f9b5 100644
--- a/ui/src/podcast/StatusBadge.jsx
+++ b/ui/src/podcast/StatusBadge.jsx
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ const StatusBadge = ({ status, errorMessage, downloadedBytes, size }) => {
     return (
       <Box display="flex" alignItems="center" style={{ gap: 6 }}>
         <CircularProgress size={14} />
+        <Typography variant="caption">{label}</Typography>
         {pct !== null && <Typography variant="caption">{`${pct}%`}</Typography>}
       </Box>
     )