diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/client.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/client.c
index e4be4f1b8..0b74cad32 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/client.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/client.c
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ void client_free(struct client *client)
 int client_queue_message(struct client *client, struct message *msg)
 {
 	struct impl *impl = client->impl;
-	int res, mask;
+	int res;
 
 	if (msg == NULL)
 		return -EINVAL;
@@ -198,13 +198,14 @@ int client_queue_message(struct client *client, struct message *msg)
 	msg->offset = 0;
 	spa_list_append(&client->out_messages, &msg->link);
 
-	mask = client->source->mask;
+	uint32_t mask = client->source->mask;
 	if (!SPA_FLAG_IS_SET(mask, SPA_IO_OUT)) {
-		client->need_flush = true;
 		SPA_FLAG_SET(mask, SPA_IO_OUT);
 		pw_loop_update_io(impl->loop, client->source, mask);
 	}
 
+	client->new_msg_since_last_flush = true;
+
 	return 0;
 
 error:
@@ -212,24 +213,20 @@ error:
 	return res;
 }
 
-int client_flush_messages(struct client *client)
+static int client_try_flush_messages(struct client *client)
 {
 	struct impl *impl = client->impl;
-	int res;
+
+	pw_log_trace("client %p: flushing", client);
 
 	spa_assert(!client->disconnect);
 
-	while (true) {
-		struct message *m;
+	while (!spa_list_is_empty(&client->out_messages)) {
+		struct message *m = spa_list_first(&client->out_messages, struct message, link);
 		struct descriptor desc;
-		void *data;
+		const void *data;
 		size_t size;
 
-		if (spa_list_is_empty(&client->out_messages))
-			break;
-
-		m = spa_list_first(&client->out_messages, struct message, link);
-
 		if (client->out_index < sizeof(desc)) {
 			desc.length = htonl(m->length);
 			desc.channel = htonl(m->channel);
@@ -252,18 +249,18 @@ int client_flush_messages(struct client *client)
 		}
 
 		while (true) {
-			res = send(client->source->fd, data, size, MSG_NOSIGNAL | MSG_DONTWAIT);
-			if (res < 0) {
-				res = -errno;
+			ssize_t sent = send(client->source->fd, data, size, MSG_NOSIGNAL | MSG_DONTWAIT);
+			if (sent < 0) {
+				int res = -errno;
 				if (res == -EINTR)
 					continue;
 				if (res != -EAGAIN && res != -EWOULDBLOCK)
-					pw_log_warn("client %p: send channel:%d %zu, error %d: %m",
+					pw_log_warn("client %p: send channel:%u %zu, error %d: %m",
 						    client, m->channel, size, res);
 				return res;
 			}
 
-			client->out_index += res;
+			client->out_index += sent;
 			break;
 		}
 	}
@@ -271,11 +268,65 @@ int client_flush_messages(struct client *client)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int client_queue_subscribe_event(struct client *client, uint32_t mask, uint32_t event, uint32_t id)
+int client_flush_messages(struct client *client)
+{
+	client->new_msg_since_last_flush = false;
+
+	int res = client_try_flush_messages(client);
+	if (res >= 0) {
+		uint32_t mask = client->source->mask;
+
+		if (SPA_FLAG_IS_SET(mask, SPA_IO_OUT)) {
+			SPA_FLAG_CLEAR(mask, SPA_IO_OUT);
+			pw_loop_update_io(client->impl->loop, client->source, mask);
+		}
+	} else {
+		if (res != -EAGAIN && res != -EWOULDBLOCK)
+			return res;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+/* returns true if an event with the (mask, event, id) triplet should be dropped because it is redundant */
+static bool client_prune_subscribe_events(struct client *client, uint32_t mask, uint32_t event, uint32_t id)
 {
 	struct impl *impl = client->impl;
-	struct message *reply, *m, *t;
+	struct message *m, *t;
 
+	if ((event & SUBSCRIPTION_EVENT_TYPE_MASK) == SUBSCRIPTION_EVENT_NEW)
+		return false;
+
+	spa_list_for_each_safe_reverse(m, t, &client->out_messages, link) {
+		if (m->extra[0] != COMMAND_SUBSCRIBE_EVENT)
+			continue;
+		if ((m->extra[1] ^ event) & SUBSCRIPTION_EVENT_FACILITY_MASK)
+			continue;
+		if (m->extra[2] != id)
+			continue;
+
+		if ((event & SUBSCRIPTION_EVENT_TYPE_MASK) == SUBSCRIPTION_EVENT_REMOVE) {
+			/* This object is being removed, hence there is
+			 * point in keeping the old events regarding
+			 * entry in the queue. */
+			message_free(impl, m, true, false);
+			pw_log_debug("client %p: dropped redundant event due to remove event", client);
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		if ((event & SUBSCRIPTION_EVENT_TYPE_MASK) == SUBSCRIPTION_EVENT_CHANGE) {
+			/* This object has changed. If a "new" or "change" event for
+			 * this object is still in the queue we can exit. */
+			pw_log_debug("client %p: dropped redundant event due to change event", client);
+			return true;
+		}
+	}
+
+	return false;
+}
+
+int client_queue_subscribe_event(struct client *client, uint32_t mask, uint32_t event, uint32_t id)
+{
 	if (client->disconnect)
 		return -ENOTCONN;
 
@@ -284,37 +335,13 @@ int client_queue_subscribe_event(struct client *client, uint32_t mask, uint32_t
 
 	pw_log_debug("client %p: SUBSCRIBE event:%08x id:%u", client, event, id);
 
-	if ((event & SUBSCRIPTION_EVENT_TYPE_MASK) != SUBSCRIPTION_EVENT_NEW) {
-		spa_list_for_each_safe_reverse(m, t, &client->out_messages, link) {
-			if (m->extra[0] != COMMAND_SUBSCRIBE_EVENT)
-				continue;
-			if ((m->extra[1] ^ event) & SUBSCRIPTION_EVENT_FACILITY_MASK)
-				continue;
-			if (m->extra[2] != id)
-				continue;
+	if (client_prune_subscribe_events(client, mask, event, id))
+		return 0;
 
-			if ((event & SUBSCRIPTION_EVENT_TYPE_MASK) == SUBSCRIPTION_EVENT_REMOVE) {
-				/* This object is being removed, hence there is
-				 * point in keeping the old events regarding
-				 * entry in the queue. */
-				message_free(impl, m, true, false);
-				pw_log_debug("client %p: dropped redundant event due to remove event", client);
-				continue;
-			}
-
-			if ((event & SUBSCRIPTION_EVENT_TYPE_MASK) == SUBSCRIPTION_EVENT_CHANGE) {
-				/* This object has changed. If a "new" or "change" event for
-				 * this object is still in the queue we can exit. */
-				pw_log_debug("client %p: dropped redundant event due to change event", client);
-				return 0;
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
-	reply = message_alloc(impl, -1, 0);
-	reply->extra[0] = COMMAND_SUBSCRIBE_EVENT,
-	reply->extra[1] = event,
-	reply->extra[2] = id,
+	struct message *reply = message_alloc(client->impl, -1, 0);
+	reply->extra[0] = COMMAND_SUBSCRIBE_EVENT;
+	reply->extra[1] = event;
+	reply->extra[2] = id;
 
 	message_put(reply,
 		TAG_U32, COMMAND_SUBSCRIBE_EVENT,
diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/client.h b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/client.h
index ef16747d1..1dbf1fa97 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/client.h
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/client.h
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ struct client {
 
 	unsigned int disconnect:1;
 	unsigned int disconnecting:1;
-	unsigned int need_flush:1;
+	unsigned int new_msg_since_last_flush:1;
 
 	struct pw_manager_object *prev_default_sink;
 	struct pw_manager_object *prev_default_source;
diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/server.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/server.c
index d3e14d2b5..7d5c1f428 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/server.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/server.c
@@ -275,7 +275,6 @@ static void
 on_client_data(void *data, int fd, uint32_t mask)
 {
 	struct client * const client = data;
-	struct impl * const impl = client->impl;
 	int res;
 
 	client->ref++;
@@ -302,15 +301,9 @@ on_client_data(void *data, int fd, uint32_t mask)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (mask & SPA_IO_OUT || client->need_flush) {
-		pw_log_trace("client %p: can write", client);
-		client->need_flush = false;
+	if (mask & SPA_IO_OUT || client->new_msg_since_last_flush) {
 		res = client_flush_messages(client);
-		if (res >= 0) {
-			int m = client->source->mask;
-			SPA_FLAG_CLEAR(m, SPA_IO_OUT);
-			pw_loop_update_io(impl->loop, client->source, m);
-		} else if (res != -EAGAIN && res != -EWOULDBLOCK)
+		if (res < 0)
 			goto error;
 	}