diff --git a/swfdec-gtk/swfdec_playback_alsa.c b/swfdec-gtk/swfdec_playback_alsa.c
index f4711e9..e1af2de 100644
--- a/swfdec-gtk/swfdec_playback_alsa.c
+++ b/swfdec-gtk/swfdec_playback_alsa.c
@@ -105,6 +105,8 @@ write_player (Stream *stream, const snd_pcm_channel_area_t *dst,
   return rendered;
 }
 
+static void swfdec_playback_stream_start (Stream *stream);
+
 static gboolean
 try_write_mmap (Stream *stream)
 {
@@ -114,6 +116,10 @@ try_write_mmap (Stream *stream)
 
   do {
     avail_result = snd_pcm_avail_update (stream->pcm);
+    if (avail_result == -EPIPE) {
+      swfdec_playback_stream_start (stream);
+      return TRUE;
+    }
     ALSA_ERROR (avail_result, "snd_pcm_avail_update failed", FALSE);
     if (avail_result == 0)
       return TRUE;
@@ -142,6 +148,10 @@ try_write_so_pa_gets_it (Stream *stream)
   gboolean finish = FALSE;
 
   avail = snd_pcm_avail_update (stream->pcm);
+  if (avail == -EPIPE) {
+    swfdec_playback_stream_start (stream);
+    return TRUE;
+  }
   ALSA_ERROR (avail, "snd_pcm_avail_update failed", FALSE);
 
   while (avail > 0 && !finish) {
@@ -165,7 +175,6 @@ try_write_so_pa_gets_it (Stream *stream)
 
 #define try_write(stream) ((stream)->write (stream))
 
-static void swfdec_playback_stream_start (Stream *stream);
 static gboolean
 handle_stream (GIOChannel *source, GIOCondition cond, gpointer data)
 {