diff --git a/options/locale/locale_en-US.ini b/options/locale/locale_en-US.ini
index 78ffe1c618..626d8e28d6 100644
--- a/options/locale/locale_en-US.ini
+++ b/options/locale/locale_en-US.ini
@@ -1726,6 +1726,7 @@ issues.remove_time_estimate_at = removed time estimate %s
 issues.time_estimate_invalid = Time estimate format is invalid
 issues.start_tracking_history = started working %s
 issues.tracker_auto_close = Timer will be stopped automatically when this issue gets closed
+issues.tracker_already_stopped = The Timer for this issue is already stopped
 issues.tracking_already_started = `You have already started time tracking on <a href="%s">another issue</a>!`
 issues.stop_tracking = Stop Timer
 issues.stop_tracking_history = worked for <b>%[1]s</b> %[2]s
diff --git a/routers/web/repo/issue_stopwatch.go b/routers/web/repo/issue_stopwatch.go
index 5a8d203771..a582af1eae 100644
--- a/routers/web/repo/issue_stopwatch.go
+++ b/routers/web/repo/issue_stopwatch.go
@@ -10,31 +10,49 @@ import (
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/services/context"
 )
 
-// IssueStopwatch creates or stops a stopwatch for the given issue.
-func IssueStopwatch(c *context.Context) {
+// IssueStartStopwatch creates a stopwatch for the given issue.
+func IssueStartStopwatch(c *context.Context) {
 	issue := GetActionIssue(c)
 	if c.Written() {
 		return
 	}
 
-	var showSuccessMessage bool
-
-	if !issues_model.StopwatchExists(c, c.Doer.ID, issue.ID) {
-		showSuccessMessage = true
-	}
-
 	if !c.Repo.CanUseTimetracker(c, issue, c.Doer) {
 		c.NotFound(nil)
 		return
 	}
 
-	if err := issues_model.CreateOrStopIssueStopwatch(c, c.Doer, issue); err != nil {
-		c.ServerError("CreateOrStopIssueStopwatch", err)
+	if err := issues_model.CreateIssueStopwatch(c, c.Doer, issue); err != nil {
+		c.ServerError("CreateIssueStopwatch", err)
 		return
 	}
 
-	if showSuccessMessage {
-		c.Flash.Success(c.Tr("repo.issues.tracker_auto_close"))
+	c.Flash.Success(c.Tr("repo.issues.tracker_auto_close"))
+
+	c.JSONRedirect("")
+}
+
+// IssueStopStopwatch stops a stopwatch for the given issue.
+func IssueStopStopwatch(c *context.Context) {
+	issue := GetActionIssue(c)
+	if c.Written() {
+		return
+	}
+
+	if !c.Repo.CanUseTimetracker(c, issue, c.Doer) {
+		c.NotFound(nil)
+		return
+	}
+
+	wasRunning := issues_model.StopwatchExists(c, c.Doer.ID, issue.ID)
+
+	if wasRunning {
+		if err := issues_model.FinishIssueStopwatch(c, c.Doer, issue); err != nil {
+			c.ServerError("FinishIssueStopwatch", err)
+			return
+		}
+	} else {
+		c.Flash.Warning(c.Tr("repo.issues.tracker_already_stopped"))
 	}
 
 	c.JSONRedirect("")
diff --git a/routers/web/web.go b/routers/web/web.go
index 4b5d68b260..66a5a9be5e 100644
--- a/routers/web/web.go
+++ b/routers/web/web.go
@@ -1253,7 +1253,8 @@ func registerWebRoutes(m *web.Router) {
 					m.Post("/add", web.Bind(forms.AddTimeManuallyForm{}), repo.AddTimeManually)
 					m.Post("/{timeid}/delete", repo.DeleteTime)
 					m.Group("/stopwatch", func() {
-						m.Post("/toggle", repo.IssueStopwatch)
+						m.Post("/start", repo.IssueStartStopwatch)
+						m.Post("/stop", repo.IssueStopStopwatch)
 						m.Post("/cancel", repo.CancelStopwatch)
 					})
 				})
diff --git a/templates/repo/issue/sidebar/stopwatch_timetracker.tmpl b/templates/repo/issue/sidebar/stopwatch_timetracker.tmpl
index 0176aede7a..ab8600b068 100644
--- a/templates/repo/issue/sidebar/stopwatch_timetracker.tmpl
+++ b/templates/repo/issue/sidebar/stopwatch_timetracker.tmpl
@@ -16,14 +16,14 @@
 					</a>
 					<div class="divider"></div>
 					{{if $.IsStopwatchRunning}}
-					<a class="item issue-stop-time link-action" data-url="{{.Issue.Link}}/times/stopwatch/toggle">
+					<a class="item issue-stop-time link-action" data-url="{{.Issue.Link}}/times/stopwatch/stop">
 						{{svg "octicon-stopwatch"}} {{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.issues.timetracker_timer_stop"}}
 					</a>
 					<a class="item issue-cancel-time link-action" data-url="{{.Issue.Link}}/times/stopwatch/cancel">
 						{{svg "octicon-trash"}} {{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.issues.timetracker_timer_discard"}}
 					</a>
 					{{else}}
-					<a class="item issue-start-time link-action" data-url="{{.Issue.Link}}/times/stopwatch/toggle">
+					<a class="item issue-start-time link-action" data-url="{{.Issue.Link}}/times/stopwatch/start">
 						{{svg "octicon-stopwatch"}} {{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.issues.timetracker_timer_start"}}
 					</a>
 					<a class="item issue-add-time show-modal" data-modal="#issue-time-manually-add-modal">