diff --git a/plugins/jspsych-animation.js b/plugins/jspsych-animation.js
index a6e7bd2112..ae47f49778 100644
--- a/plugins/jspsych-animation.js
+++ b/plugins/jspsych-animation.js
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
                 trials[i].frame_isi = params.frame_isi || 0;
                 trials[i].repetitions = params.repetitions || 1;
                 trials[i].choices = params.choices || [];
-                trials[i].timing_post_trial = params.timing_post_trial || 1000;
+                trials[i].timing_post_trial = (typeof params.timing_post_trial === 'undefined') ? 1000 : params.timing_post_trial;
                 trials[i].prompt = (typeof params.prompt === 'undefined') ? "" : params.prompt;
                 trials[i].data = (typeof params.data === 'undefined') ? {} : params.data[i];
             }
@@ -142,9 +142,13 @@
                     "responses": JSON.stringify(responses)
                 }, trial.data));
 
-                setTimeout(function() {
+                if(trial.timing_post_trial > 0){
+                    setTimeout(function() {
+                        block.next();
+                    }, trial.timing_post_trial);
+                } else {
                     block.next();
-                }, trial.timing_post_trial);
+                }
             }
         };
 
diff --git a/plugins/jspsych-categorize-animation.js b/plugins/jspsych-categorize-animation.js
index 108d358679..4bdb43db17 100644
--- a/plugins/jspsych-categorize-animation.js
+++ b/plugins/jspsych-categorize-animation.js
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
                 trials[i].allow_response_before_complete = params.allow_response_before_complete || false;
                 trials[i].frame_time = params.frame_time || 500;
                 trials[i].timing_feedback_duration = params.timing_feedback_duration || 2000;
-                trials[i].timing_post_trial = params.timing_post_trial || 1000;
+                trials[i].timing_post_trial = (typeof params.timing_post_trial === 'undefined') ? 1000 : params.timing_post_trial;
                 trials[i].prompt = (typeof params.prompt === 'undefined') ? '' : params.prompt;
                 trials[i].data = (typeof params.data === 'undefined') ? {} : params.data[i];
             }
@@ -172,9 +172,13 @@
             function endTrial() {
                 clearInterval(animate_interval); // stop animation!
                 display_element.html(''); // clear everything
-                setTimeout(function() {
+                if(trial.timing_post_trial > 0){
+                    setTimeout(function() {
+                        block.next();
+                    }, trial.timing_post_trial);
+                } else {
                     block.next();
-                }, trial.timing_post_trial);
+                }
             }
         };
 
diff --git a/plugins/jspsych-categorize.js b/plugins/jspsych-categorize.js
index 3eefd6c10a..e7498e23eb 100644
--- a/plugins/jspsych-categorize.js
+++ b/plugins/jspsych-categorize.js
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
                 // timing params
                 trials[i].timing_stim = params.timing_stim || -1; // default is to show image until response
                 trials[i].timing_feedback_duration = params.timing_feedback_duration || 2000;
-                trials[i].timing_post_trial = params.timing_post_trial || 1000;
+                trials[i].timing_post_trial = (typeof params.timing_post_trial === 'undefined') ? 1000 : params.timing_post_trial;
                 // optional params
                 trials[i].show_stim_with_feedback = (typeof params.show_stim_with_feedback === 'undefined') ? true : params.show_stim_with_feedback;
                 trials[i].is_html = (typeof params.is_html === 'undefined') ? false : params.is_html;
@@ -194,9 +194,13 @@
                 break;
             case 3:
                 display_element.html("");
-                setTimeout(function() {
+                if(trial.timing_post_trial > 0){
+                    setTimeout(function() {
+                        block.next();
+                    }, trial.timing_post_trial);
+                } else {
                     block.next();
-                }, trial.timing_post_trial);
+                }
                 break;
             }
         };
diff --git a/plugins/jspsych-free-sort.js b/plugins/jspsych-free-sort.js
index d1361ada47..f6c3797b56 100644
--- a/plugins/jspsych-free-sort.js
+++ b/plugins/jspsych-free-sort.js
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
                     "images": params.stimuli[i], // array of images to display
                     "stim_height": params.stim_height || 100,
                     "stim_width": params.stim_width || 100,
-                    "timing_post_trial": params.timing_post_trial || 1000,
+                    "timing_post_trial": (typeof params.timing_post_trial === 'undefined') ? 1000 : params.timing_post_trial,
                     "prompt": (typeof params.prompt === 'undefined') ? '' : params.prompt,
                     "prompt_location": params.prompt_location || "above",
                     "sort_area_width": params.sort_area_width || 800,
@@ -133,9 +133,14 @@
 
                     // advance to next part
                     display_element.html("");
-                    setTimeout(function() {
+                    if (trial.timing_post_trial > 0) {
+                        setTimeout(function() {
+                            block.next();
+                        }, trial.timing_post_trial);
+                    }
+                    else {
                         block.next();
-                    }, trial.timing_post_trial);
+                    }
                 }
             }));
 
diff --git a/plugins/jspsych-html.js b/plugins/jspsych-html.js
index 2966935dd1..2b080d36c4 100644
--- a/plugins/jspsych-html.js
+++ b/plugins/jspsych-html.js
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ Example Usage:
                     url: params.pages[i].url,
                     cont_key: params.pages[i].cont_key || params.cont_key,
                     cont_btn: params.pages[i].cont_btn || params.cont_btn,
-                    timing_post_trial: params.pages[i].timing_post_trial || params.timing_post_trial || 1000,
+                    timing_post_trial: params.pages[i].timing_post_trial || (typeof params.timing_post_trial === 'undefined') ? 1000 : params.timing_post_trial,
                     check_fn: params.pages[i].check_fn,
                     force_refresh: (typeof params.force_refresh === 'undefined') ? false : params.force_refresh
                 });
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ Example Usage:
                         rt: (new Date()).getTime() - t0,
                         url: trial.url
                     });
-                    if (trial.timing) {
+                    if (trial.timing_post_trial > 0) {
                         // hide display_element, since it could have a border and we want a blank screen during timing
                         display_element.hide();
                         setTimeout(function() {
diff --git a/plugins/jspsych-palmer.js b/plugins/jspsych-palmer.js
index de54e054c6..727359ac01 100644
--- a/plugins/jspsych-palmer.js
+++ b/plugins/jspsych-palmer.js
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
                     square_size: params.square_size || 3,
                     circle_radius: params.circle_radius || 20,
                     timing_item: params.timing_item || 1000,
-                    timing_post_trial: params.timing_post_trial || 1000,
+                    timing_post_trial: (typeof params.timing_post_trial === 'undefined') ? 1000 : params.timing_post_trial,
                     timing_feedback: params.timing_feedback || 1000,
                     prompt: (typeof params.prompt === 'undefined') ? "" : params.prompt,
                     data: (typeof params.data === 'undefined') ? {} : params.data[i]
@@ -232,12 +232,12 @@
             // future ideas: allow for key response, to enable things like n-back, same/different, etc..
             if (!trial.editable) {
                 showConfiguration(trial.configurations);
-                
+
                 setTimeout(function() {
                     save_data();
                 }, trial.timing_item);
             }
-            
+
             if (trial.prompt !== "") {
                 display_element.append($('<div id="jspsych-palmer-prompt">'));
                 $("#jspsych-palmer-prompt").html(trial.prompt);
@@ -310,9 +310,14 @@
                 display_element.html('');
 
                 // next trial
-                setTimeout(function() {
+                if (trial.timing_post_trial > 0) {
+                    setTimeout(function() {
+                        block.next();
+                    }, trial.timing_post_trial);
+                }
+                else {
                     block.next();
-                }, trial.timing_post_trial);
+                }
 
             }
 
diff --git a/plugins/jspsych-same-different.js b/plugins/jspsych-same-different.js
index 890af9f0f3..6183d3c421 100644
--- a/plugins/jspsych-same-different.js
+++ b/plugins/jspsych-same-different.js
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
                 trials[i].timing_first_stim = params.timing_first_stim || 1000;
                 trials[i].timing_second_stim = params.timing_second_stim || 1000; // if -1, then second stim is shown until response.
                 trials[i].timing_gap = params.timing_gap || 500;
-                trials[i].timing_post_trial = params.timing_post_trial || 1000;
+                trials[i].timing_post_trial = (typeof params.timing_post_trial === 'undefined') ? 1000 : params.timing_post_trial;
                 // optional parameters
                 trials[i].is_html = (typeof params.is_html === 'undefined') ? false : true;
                 trials[i].prompt = (typeof params.prompt === 'undefined') ? "" : params.prompt;
@@ -140,9 +140,13 @@
                         $(document).unbind('keyup', resp_func);
 
                         display_element.html('');
-                        setTimeout(function() {
+                        if(trial.timing_post_trial > 0) {
+                            setTimeout(function() {
+                                block.next();
+                            }, trial.timing_post_trial);
+                        } else {
                             block.next();
-                        }, trial.timing_post_trial);
+                        }
                     }
                 };
                 $(document).keyup(resp_func);
diff --git a/plugins/jspsych-similarity.js b/plugins/jspsych-similarity.js
index 52c582794a..98bc1b6c4e 100644
--- a/plugins/jspsych-similarity.js
+++ b/plugins/jspsych-similarity.js
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
                 trials[i].timing_first_stim = params.timing_first_stim || 1000; // default 1000ms
                 trials[i].timing_second_stim = params.timing_second_stim || -1; // -1 = inf time; positive numbers = msec to display second image.
                 trials[i].timing_image_gap = params.timing_image_gap || 1000; // default 1000ms
-                trials[i].timing_post_trial = params.timing_post_trial || 1000; // default 1000ms
+                trials[i].timing_post_trial = (typeof params.timing_post_trial === 'undefined') ? 1000 : params.timing_post_trial; // default 1000ms
 
                 trials[i].is_html = (typeof params.is_html === 'undefined') ? false : params.is_html;
                 trials[i].prompt = (typeof params.prompt === 'undefined') ? '' : params.prompt;
@@ -89,9 +89,9 @@
                     plugin.trial(display_element, block, trial, part + 1);
                 }, trial.timing_image_gap);
                 break;
-            
+
             case 3:
-                
+
                 if (!trial.is_html) {
                     $('#jspsych_sim_stim').attr('src', trial.b_path);
                 }
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@
                 }
 
                 $('#jspsych_sim_stim').css('visibility', 'visible');
-                 
+
                 if (trial.show_response == "SECOND_STIMULUS") {
                     show_response_slider(display_element, trial, block);
                 }
@@ -218,9 +218,14 @@
                 }, trial.data));
                 // goto next trial in block
                 display_element.html('');
-                setTimeout(function() {
+                if (trial.timing_post_trial > 0) {
+                    setTimeout(function() {
+                        block.next();
+                    }, trial.timing_post_trial);
+                }
+                else {
                     block.next();
-                }, trial.timing_post_trial);
+                }
             });
         }
 
diff --git a/plugins/jspsych-single-stim.js b/plugins/jspsych-single-stim.js
index b8269ffee1..59ccea59ba 100644
--- a/plugins/jspsych-single-stim.js
+++ b/plugins/jspsych-single-stim.js
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
                 // timing parameters
                 trials[i].timing_stim = params.timing_stim || -1; // if -1, then show indefinitely
                 trials[i].timing_response = params.timing_response || -1; // if -1, then wait for response forever
-                trials[i].timing_post_trial = params.timing_post_trial || 1000;
+                trials[i].timing_post_trial = (typeof params.timing_post_trial === 'undefined') ? 1000 : params.timing_post_trial;
                 // optional parameters
                 trials[i].is_html = (typeof params.is_html === 'undefined') ? false : params.is_html;
                 trials[i].prompt = (typeof params.prompt === 'undefined') ? "" : params.prompt;
@@ -96,9 +96,14 @@
                 block.writeData($.extend({}, trial_data, trial.data));
                 $(document).unbind('keyup', resp_func);
                 display_element.html('');
-                setTimeout(function() {
+                if (trial.timing_post_trial > 0) {
+                    setTimeout(function() {
+                        block.next();
+                    }, trial.timing_post_trial);
+                }
+                else {
                     block.next();
-                }, trial.timing_post_trial);
+                }
             };
 
             var resp_func = function(e) {
diff --git a/plugins/jspsych-text.js b/plugins/jspsych-text.js
index 448684313e..31e5c18457 100644
--- a/plugins/jspsych-text.js
+++ b/plugins/jspsych-text.js
@@ -35,9 +35,9 @@
  *				When the above parameters are loaded into the text plugin, the first screen would show 
  * 				"hello, hello." and the second screen would show "I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello."
  *
- */ 
- 
- (function($) {
+ */
+
+(function($) {
     jsPsych.text = (function() {
 
         var plugin = {};
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
                 trials[i].type = "text"; // must match plugin name
                 trials[i].text = params.text[i]; // text of all trials
                 trials[i].cont_key = params.cont_key || '13'; // keycode to press to advance screen, default is ENTER.
-                trials[i].timing_post_trial = params.timing_post_trial || 0; // how long to delay between screens, default is no delay.
+                trials[i].timing_post_trial = (typeof params.timing_post_trial === 'undefined') ? 0 : params.timing_post_trial;
                 trials[i].variables = (typeof params.variables === 'undefined') ? undefined : params.variables[i];
                 trials[i].data = (typeof params.data === 'undefined') ? {} : params.data[i];
             }
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@
             display_element.html(replaced_text);
 
             var startTime = (new Date()).getTime();
-            
+
             // it's possible that if the user is holding down the cont_key when
             // they arrive on the page that they will advance as soon as the
             // key is released. this prevents that from happening by requiring a
@@ -89,15 +89,19 @@
                     $(document).unbind('keyup', key_listener); // remove the response function, so that it doesn't get triggered again.
                     $(document).unbind('keydown', key_down_listener);
                     display_element.html(''); // clear the display
-                    setTimeout(function() {
+                    if (trial.timing_post_trial > 0) {
+                        setTimeout(function() {
+                            block.next();
+                        }, trial.timing_post_trial);
+                    }
+                    else {
                         block.next();
-                    }, trial.timing_post_trial); // call block.next() to advance the experiment after a delay.
+                    } // call block.next() to advance the experiment after a delay.
                 }
             };
-            
-            var key_down_listener = function(e){
-                if(e.which == trial.cont_key)
-                {
+
+            var key_down_listener = function(e) {
+                if (e.which == trial.cont_key) {
                     cont_key_down = true;
                 }
             };
@@ -106,9 +110,14 @@
                 save_data();
                 display_element.unbind('click', mouse_listener); // remove the response function, so that it doesn't get triggered again.
                 display_element.html(''); // clear the display
-                setTimeout(function() {
+                if (trial.timing_post_trial > 0) {
+                    setTimeout(function() {
+                        block.next();
+                    }, trial.timing_post_trial);
+                }
+                else {
                     block.next();
-                }, trial.timing_post_trial); // call block.next() to advance the experiment after a delay.
+                } // call block.next() to advance the experiment after a delay.
             };
 
             // check if key is 'mouse'
diff --git a/plugins/jspsych-xab.js b/plugins/jspsych-xab.js
index 7f313adfe5..68be173829 100644
--- a/plugins/jspsych-xab.js
+++ b/plugins/jspsych-xab.js
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
                 trials[i].timing_x = params.timing_x || 1000; // defaults to 1000msec.
                 trials[i].timing_xab_gap = params.timing_xab_gap || 1000; // defaults to 1000msec.
                 trials[i].timing_ab = params.timing_ab || -1; // defaults to -1, meaning infinite time on AB. If a positive number is used, then AB will only be displayed for that length.
-                trials[i].timing_post_trial = params.timing_post_trial || 1000; // defaults to 1000msec.
+                trials[i].timing_post_trial = (typeof params.timing_post_trial === 'undefined') ? 1000 : params.timing_post_trial; // defaults to 1000msec.
                 // optional parameters
                 trials[i].is_html = (typeof params.is_html === 'undefined') ? false : params.is_html;
                 trials[i].prompt = (typeof params.prompt === 'undefined') ? "" : params.prompt;
@@ -192,9 +192,13 @@
                         display_element.html(''); // remove all
                         xab_trial_complete = true;
                         // move on to the next trial after timing_post_trial milliseconds
-                        setTimeout(function() {
+                        if(trial.timing_post_trial > 0) {
+                            setTimeout(function() {
+                                block.next();
+                            }, trial.timing_post_trial);
+                        } else {
                             block.next();
-                        }, trial.timing_post_trial);
+                        }
                     }
                 };
                 $(document).keyup(resp_func);