diff --git a/src/modules/module-client-node/client-stream.c b/src/modules/module-client-node/client-stream.c
index 4619e3b87..0e7722e53 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-client-node/client-stream.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-client-node/client-stream.c
@@ -754,10 +754,18 @@ static void client_node_initialized(void *data)
 	uint8_t buffer[4096];
 	struct spa_pod_builder b;
 	int res;
+	const struct pw_properties *props;
+	const char *str;
+	bool exclusive;
 
 	pw_log_debug("client-stream %p: initialized", &impl->this);
 
 	impl->cnode = pw_node_get_implementation(impl->client_node->node);
+	props = pw_node_get_properties(impl->client_node->node);
+	if (props != NULL && (str = pw_properties_get(props, PW_NODE_PROP_EXCLUSIVE)) != NULL)
+		exclusive = pw_properties_parse_bool(str);
+	else
+		exclusive = false;
 
 	spa_graph_node_remove(&impl->client_node->node->rt.root);
 	spa_graph_node_add(impl->this.node->rt.node.graph, &impl->client_node->node->rt.root);
@@ -811,7 +819,9 @@ static void client_node_initialized(void *data)
 			spa_type_map_get_type(t->map, media_type),
 			spa_type_map_get_type(t->map, media_subtype));
 
-	if (media_type == impl->type.media_type.audio &&
+
+	if (!exclusive &&
+	    media_type == impl->type.media_type.audio &&
 	    media_subtype == impl->type.media_subtype.raw) {
 		if ((impl->adapter = pw_load_spa_interface("audioconvert/libspa-audioconvert",
 				"splitter", SPA_TYPE__Node, NULL, 0, NULL)) == NULL)
diff --git a/src/pipewire/stream.c b/src/pipewire/stream.c
index 68da51480..ae95150e5 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/stream.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/stream.c
@@ -1151,6 +1151,8 @@ pw_stream_connect(struct pw_stream *stream,
 	pw_properties_set(stream->properties, "node.stream", "1");
 	if (flags & PW_STREAM_FLAG_DRIVER)
 		pw_properties_set(stream->properties, "node.driver", "1");
+	if (flags & PW_STREAM_FLAG_EXCLUSIVE)
+		pw_properties_set(stream->properties, PW_NODE_PROP_EXCLUSIVE, "1");
 
 	state = pw_remote_get_state(stream->remote, NULL);
 	if (state == PW_REMOTE_STATE_UNCONNECTED ||
diff --git a/src/pipewire/stream.h b/src/pipewire/stream.h
index 6a16638e0..18371274c 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/stream.h
+++ b/src/pipewire/stream.h
@@ -207,8 +207,11 @@ enum pw_stream_flags {
 	PW_STREAM_FLAG_INACTIVE		= (1 << 2),	/**< start the stream inactive */
 	PW_STREAM_FLAG_MAP_BUFFERS	= (1 << 3),	/**< mmap the buffers */
 	PW_STREAM_FLAG_DRIVER		= (1 << 4),	/**< be a driver */
-	PW_STREAM_FLAG_RT_PROCESS	= (1 << 5),	/**< call process from the realtime thread */
+	PW_STREAM_FLAG_RT_PROCESS	= (1 << 5),	/**< call process from the realtime
+							  *  thread */
 	PW_STREAM_FLAG_NO_CONVERT	= (1 << 6),	/**< don't convert format */
+	PW_STREAM_FLAG_EXCLUSIVE	= (1 << 7),	/**< require exclusive access to the
+							  *  device */
 };
 
 /** A time structure \memberof pw_stream */