diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8bbfb09..a5b00c4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -25,16 +25,31 @@ This plugin is meant to work with Cordova 3.5.0+.
     // all responses from the audio player are channeled through successCallback and errorCallback
 
     // set wakeup timer
-    window.wakeuptimer.wakeup( successCallback,  
-       errorCallback, 
+    window.wakeuptimer.wakeup( successCallback,
+       errorCallback,
        // a list of alarms to set
        {
             alarms : [{
                 type : 'onetime',
                 time : { hour : 14, minute : 30 },
-                extra : { message : 'json containing app-specific information to be posted when alarm triggers' }, 
+                extra : { message : 'json containing app-specific information to be posted when alarm triggers' },
                 message : 'Alarm has expired!'
-           }] 
+           }]
+       }
+    );
+
+    // set wakeup timer, but skip launch if app is already running
+    window.wakeuptimer.wakeup( successCallback,
+       errorCallback,
+       // a list of alarms to set
+       {
+            alarms : [{
+                type : 'onetime',
+                skipOnRunning: true,
+                time : { hour : 11, minute : 20 },
+                extra : { message : 'json containing app-specific information to be posted when alarm triggers' },
+                message : 'Alarm has expired!'
+           }]
        }
     );
 
@@ -44,7 +59,7 @@ This plugin is meant to work with Cordova 3.5.0+.
         {
             alarms : [{
                 type : 'snooze',
-                time : { seconds : 60 }, // snooze for 60 seconds 
+                time : { seconds : 60 }, // snooze for 60 seconds
                 extra : { }, // json containing app-specific information to be posted when alarm triggers
                 message : this.get('message'),
                 sound : this.get('sound'),
@@ -62,4 +77,4 @@ This plugin is meant to work with Cordova 3.5.0+.
         } else {
             console.log('wakeup unhandled type (' + result.type + ')');
         }
-    }; 
+    };
diff --git a/src/android/WakeupPlugin.java b/src/android/WakeupPlugin.java
index 62e3b38..643c4ee 100644
--- a/src/android/WakeupPlugin.java
+++ b/src/android/WakeupPlugin.java
@@ -147,12 +147,13 @@ protected static void setAlarms(Context context, JSONArray alarms, boolean cance
 			}
 			
 			JSONObject time=alarm.getJSONObject("time");
-			
+
 			if ( type.equals("onetime")) {
 				Calendar alarmDate=getOneTimeAlarmDate(time);
 				Intent intent = new Intent(context, WakeupReceiver.class);
 				if(alarm.has("extra")){
 					intent.putExtra("extra", alarm.getJSONObject("extra").toString());
+					intent.putExtra("skipOnRunning", alarm.getBoolean("skipOnRunning"));
 					intent.putExtra("type", type);
 				}
 				
@@ -169,6 +170,7 @@ protected static void setAlarms(Context context, JSONArray alarms, boolean cance
 						intent.putExtra("type", type);
 						intent.putExtra("time", time.toString());
 						intent.putExtra("day", days.getString(j));
+						intent.putExtra("skipOnRunning", alarm.getBoolean("skipOnRunning"));
 					}
 					
 					setNotification(context, type, alarmDate, intent, ID_DAYLIST_OFFSET + daysOfWeek.get(days.getString(j)));
@@ -180,6 +182,7 @@ protected static void setAlarms(Context context, JSONArray alarms, boolean cance
 				if(alarm.has("extra")){
 					intent.putExtra("extra", alarm.getJSONObject("extra").toString());
 					intent.putExtra("type", type);
+					intent.putExtra("skipOnRunning", alarm.getBoolean("skipOnRunning"));
 				}
 				setNotification(context, type, alarmDate, intent, ID_SNOOZE_OFFSET);
 			}
diff --git a/src/android/WakeupReceiver.java b/src/android/WakeupReceiver.java
index 36ae447..8252ebc 100644
--- a/src/android/WakeupReceiver.java
+++ b/src/android/WakeupReceiver.java
@@ -2,12 +2,14 @@
 
 import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
 import java.util.Date;
+import java.util.List;
 
 import org.apache.cordova.PluginResult;
 import org.json.JSONException;
 import org.json.JSONObject;
 
 import android.annotation.SuppressLint;
+import android.app.ActivityManager;
 import android.app.AlarmManager;
 import android.app.PendingIntent;
 import android.content.BroadcastReceiver;
@@ -21,29 +23,49 @@ public class WakeupReceiver extends BroadcastReceiver {
 
 	private static final String LOG_TAG = "WakeupReceiver";
 
+	public boolean isRunning(Context ctx) {
+		ActivityManager activityManager = (ActivityManager) ctx.getSystemService(Context.ACTIVITY_SERVICE);
+		List<ActivityManager.RunningTaskInfo> tasks = activityManager.getRunningTasks(Integer.MAX_VALUE);
+
+		for (ActivityManager.RunningTaskInfo task : tasks) {
+			if (ctx.getPackageName().equalsIgnoreCase(task.baseActivity.getPackageName()))
+				return true;
+		}
+
+		return false;
+	}
+
 	@SuppressLint({ "SimpleDateFormat", "NewApi" })
 	@Override
 	public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
 		SimpleDateFormat sdf=new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss");
 		Log.d(LOG_TAG, "wakeuptimer expired at " + sdf.format(new Date().getTime()));
-	
+
+		Bundle extrasBundle = intent.getExtras();
+
+		if (extrasBundle.get("skipOnRunning").equals(true)) {
+			if (isRunning(context)) {
+				Log.d(LOG_TAG, "app is already running. No need to launch");
+				return;
+			}
+		}
+
 		try {
 			String packageName = context.getPackageName();
 			Intent launchIntent = context.getPackageManager().getLaunchIntentForPackage(packageName);
-			String className = launchIntent.getComponent().getClassName();		    	
+			String className = launchIntent.getComponent().getClassName();
 			Log.d(LOG_TAG, "launching activity for class " + className);
 
 			@SuppressWarnings("rawtypes")
-			Class c = Class.forName(className); 
+			Class c = Class.forName(className);
 
 			Intent i = new Intent(context, c);
 			i.putExtra("wakeup", true);
-			Bundle extrasBundle = intent.getExtras();
 			String extras=null;
 			if (extrasBundle!=null && extrasBundle.get("extra")!=null) {
 				extras = extrasBundle.get("extra").toString();
 			}
-			
+
 			if (extras!=null) {
 				i.putExtra("extra", extras);
 			}
@@ -58,20 +80,20 @@ public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
 				}
 				PluginResult pluginResult = new PluginResult(PluginResult.Status.OK, o);
 				pluginResult.setKeepCallback(true);
-				WakeupPlugin.connectionCallbackContext.sendPluginResult(pluginResult);  
+				WakeupPlugin.connectionCallbackContext.sendPluginResult(pluginResult);
 			}
-			
+
 			if (extrasBundle!=null && extrasBundle.getString("type")!=null && extrasBundle.getString("type").equals("daylist")) {
 				// repeat in one week
 				Date next = new Date(new Date().getTime() + (7 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000));
 				Log.d(LOG_TAG,"resetting alarm at " + sdf.format(next));
-	
+
 				Intent reschedule = new Intent(context, WakeupReceiver.class);
 				if (extras!=null) {
 					reschedule.putExtra("extra", intent.getExtras().get("extra").toString());
 				}
 				reschedule.putExtra("day", WakeupPlugin.daysOfWeek.get(intent.getExtras().get("day")));
-	
+
 				PendingIntent sender = PendingIntent.getBroadcast(context, 19999 + WakeupPlugin.daysOfWeek.get(intent.getExtras().get("day")), intent, PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT);
 				AlarmManager alarmManager = (AlarmManager) context.getSystemService(Context.ALARM_SERVICE);
 				if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT>=19) {