diff --git a/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-utils.c b/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-utils.c
index 1338b92c5..72b790900 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-utils.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-utils.c
@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@ int spa_alsa_write(struct state *state, snd_pcm_uframes_t silence)
 			silence = 0;
 	}
 	if (written == 0)
-		silence = 4096;
+		silence = SPA_MIN(to_write, state->threshold);
 
 	if (silence > 0) {
 		snd_pcm_areas_silence(my_areas, offset, state->channels, silence, state->format);