diff --git a/src/pcm/pcm_dmix.c b/src/pcm/pcm_dmix.c
index a21762ec..2da13b67 100644
--- a/src/pcm/pcm_dmix.c
+++ b/src/pcm/pcm_dmix.c
@@ -487,9 +487,14 @@ static int snd_pcm_dmix_drain(snd_pcm_t *pcm)
 		return -EBADFD;
 	if (pcm->mode & SND_PCM_NONBLOCK)
 		return -EAGAIN;
-	if (dmix->state == SND_PCM_STATE_PREPARED &&
-	    snd_pcm_mmap_playback_hw_avail(pcm) > 0)
-		snd_pcm_dmix_start(pcm);
+	if (dmix->state == SND_PCM_STATE_PREPARED) {
+		if (snd_pcm_mmap_playback_hw_avail(pcm) > 0)
+			snd_pcm_dmix_start(pcm);
+		else {
+			snd_pcm_dmix_drop(pcm);
+			return 0;
+		}
+	}
 	stop_threshold = pcm->stop_threshold;
 	if (pcm->stop_threshold > pcm->buffer_size)
 		pcm->stop_threshold = pcm->buffer_size;