How to connect a tie across a repeat for playback purposes

Hello everyone
In the attached score, the last note of measure 17 has a tie with the first note of measure 2. I'm not sure if this is "good" or "bad" music notation. But obviously I want this to be played (in e.g. MP3) as a single, long note. Currently, MuseScore plays it back the single 8th note in measure 17 but doesn't play the halfnote in measure 2. Is there anything I can do?
Oh, and the first note of measure 18 plays as a distinct 4th note even though it is tied to the last note of measure 15 and so should not be a distinct note. Anything I can do about that?

Thanks
Samuel