A friction controllable sliding isolation system was developed and experimentally and analytically investigated by Feng et al. (Feng, Q., Shinozuka, M. & Fujii, S. A. friction controllable sliding isolation system. J. Eng. Mech., ASCE, 1993, 119(6), in press), the control algorithm having been developed based on a key assumption that the structural motion is always in the sliding phase. However, this assumption may not be valid in cases where the sticking phase of the structural motion dominates. In this paper a new control algorithm is developed including the effects of stick—slip phases. Effect of time delay is included in the formulation. The developed algorithm is used to evaluate the accuracy and limitations of the algorithm with continuous sliding assumption. Response to various earthquake motions, simulated using the two control algorithms, is presented. Comparisons with experimental results are also presented. Effects of stick—slip phases on the response are evaluated.