diff --git a/src/modes/overworld.cpp b/src/modes/overworld.cpp
index fb21e30f0..7dadbcd35 100644
--- a/src/modes/overworld.cpp
+++ b/src/modes/overworld.cpp
@@ -112,12 +112,11 @@ void OverWorld::update(float dt)
     // Skip annoying waiting without a purpose
     // Make sure to do all things that would normally happen in the 
     // update() method of the base classes.
-    if (m_phase < GO_PHASE)
+    if (getPhase()< GO_PHASE)
     {
-        m_phase = GO_PHASE;
-        // Go message disappears at 3, music starts at 2.5
-        m_auxiliary_timer = 2.0f;
-        // Normally done in WorldStatus::update(), SET_PHASE
+        setPhase(RACE_PHASE);
+        // Normally done in WorldStatus::update(), during phase SET_PHASE,
+        // so we have to start music 'manually', since we skip all phases.
         World::getWorld()->getTrack()->startMusic();
     }
     LinearWorld::update(dt);
diff --git a/src/modes/profile_world.cpp b/src/modes/profile_world.cpp
index d263df265..4976830a1 100644
--- a/src/modes/profile_world.cpp
+++ b/src/modes/profile_world.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ ProfileWorld::ProfileWorld()
     // based profiling) - in case of time based profiling, the number of
     // laps is set to 99999.
     race_manager->setNumLaps(m_num_laps);
-    m_phase            = RACE_PHASE;
+    setPhase(RACE_PHASE);
     m_frame_count      = 0;
     m_start_time       = irr_driver->getRealTime();
     m_num_triangles    = 0;
diff --git a/src/modes/standard_race.cpp b/src/modes/standard_race.cpp
index 29eca1dde..65fdb506b 100644
--- a/src/modes/standard_race.cpp
+++ b/src/modes/standard_race.cpp
@@ -130,6 +130,6 @@ void StandardRace::endRaceEarly()
         );
     } // Finish the active players
     endSetKartPositions();
-    m_phase = RESULT_DISPLAY_PHASE;
+    setPhase(RESULT_DISPLAY_PHASE);
     terminateRace();
 } // endRaceEarly
diff --git a/src/modes/world.cpp b/src/modes/world.cpp
index 714d95f0f..0515b51aa 100644
--- a/src/modes/world.cpp
+++ b/src/modes/world.cpp
@@ -607,8 +607,8 @@ void World::updateWorld(float dt)
     }
     
     // Don't update world if a menu is shown or the race is over.
-    if( m_phase == FINISH_PHASE         ||
-        m_phase == IN_GAME_MENU_PHASE      )  
+    if( getPhase() == FINISH_PHASE         ||
+        getPhase() == IN_GAME_MENU_PHASE      )  
         return;
 
     update(dt);
diff --git a/src/modes/world_status.hpp b/src/modes/world_status.hpp
index 1216da297..cbf534011 100644
--- a/src/modes/world_status.hpp
+++ b/src/modes/world_status.hpp
@@ -91,7 +91,8 @@ protected:
       */
     float           m_time;
     ClockType       m_clock_mode;
-    
+
+private:
     Phase           m_phase;
 
     /**
@@ -110,43 +111,53 @@ public:
     virtual ~WorldStatus();
     
     void     reset();
-    
-    // Note: GO_PHASE is both: start phase and race phase
-    bool     isStartPhase() const  { return m_phase<GO_PHASE;               }
-    bool     isRacePhase()  const  { return m_phase>=GO_PHASE && 
-                                            m_phase<FINISH_PHASE;           }
-    /** While the race menu is being displayed, m_phase is limbo, and
-     *  m_previous_phase is finish. So we have to test this case, too.  */
-    bool     isFinishPhase() const { return m_phase==FINISH_PHASE ||
-                                           (m_phase==IN_GAME_MENU_PHASE &&
-                                            m_previous_phase==FINISH_PHASE);}
-    const Phase getPhase() const  { return m_phase;                        }
-    
-    /** Call to specify what kind of clock you want. The second argument
-     *  can be used to specify the initial time value (especially useful
-     *  for countdowns). */
-    void    setClockMode(const ClockType mode, const float initial_time=0.0f);
-
-    /** Returns the current clock mode. */
-    int     getClockMode() const { return m_clock_mode; }
-
-    /** Returns the current race time. */
-    float   getTime() const      { return m_time; }
-
-    /** Call each frame, with the elapsed time as argument. */
-    void    update(const float dt);
-    
-    void    setTime(const float time);
-    
+    void     update(const float dt);
+    void     setTime(const float time);
     virtual void pause(Phase phase);
     virtual void unpause();
     virtual void enterRaceOverState();
     virtual void terminateRace();
     
+    // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // Note: GO_PHASE is both: start phase and race phase
+    bool     isStartPhase() const  { return m_phase<GO_PHASE;               }
+    // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    bool     isRacePhase()  const  { return m_phase>=GO_PHASE && 
+                                            m_phase<FINISH_PHASE;           }
+    // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    /** While the race menu is being displayed, m_phase is limbo, and
+     *  m_previous_phase is finish. So we have to test this case, too.  */
+    bool     isFinishPhase() const { return m_phase==FINISH_PHASE ||
+                                           (m_phase==IN_GAME_MENU_PHASE &&
+                                            m_previous_phase==FINISH_PHASE);}
+    // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    /** Returns the current race phase. */
+    const Phase getPhase() const  { return m_phase;                        }
+    
+    // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    /** Sets the current race phase. Canbe used to e.g. avoid the count down
+     *  etc. */
+    void setPhase(Phase phase) { m_phase = phase; }
+
+    // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    /** Call to specify what kind of clock you want. The second argument
+     *  can be used to specify the initial time value (especially useful
+     *  for countdowns). */
+    void    setClockMode(const ClockType mode, const float initial_time=0.0f);
+
+    // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    /** Returns the current clock mode. */
+    int     getClockMode() const { return m_clock_mode; }
+
+    // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    /** Returns the current race time. */
+    float   getTime() const      { return m_time; }
+    
     // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     /** Will be called to notify your derived class that the clock,
      *  which is in COUNTDOWN mode, has reached zero. */
     virtual void countdownReachedZero() {};
+
     // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     /** Called when the race actually starts. */
     virtual void onGo() {};