diff --git a/src/pipewire/impl-link.c b/src/pipewire/impl-link.c
index 39e9bd17d..6dc2e1a59 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/impl-link.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/impl-link.c
@@ -1321,7 +1321,8 @@ struct pw_impl_link *pw_context_create_link(struct pw_context *context,
 	if (this->passive && str == NULL)
 		 pw_properties_set(properties, PW_KEY_LINK_PASSIVE, "true");
 
-	impl->async = (output_node->async || input_node->async) &&
+	impl->async = !output_node->driver &&
+		(output_node->async || input_node->async) &&
 		SPA_FLAG_IS_SET(output->flags, PW_IMPL_PORT_FLAG_ASYNC) &&
 		SPA_FLAG_IS_SET(input->flags, PW_IMPL_PORT_FLAG_ASYNC);
 
@@ -1375,8 +1376,9 @@ struct pw_impl_link *pw_context_create_link(struct pw_context *context,
 	this->name = spa_aprintf("%d.%d.%d -> %d.%d.%d",
 			output_node->info.id, output->port_id, this->rt.out_mix.port.port_id,
 			input_node->info.id, input->port_id, this->rt.in_mix.port.port_id);
-	pw_log_info("(%s) (%s) -> (%s) async:%04x:%04x:%d", this->name, output_node->name,
-			input_node->name, output->flags, input->flags, impl->async);
+	pw_log_info("(%s) (%s) -> (%s) async:%d:%04x:%04x:%d", this->name, output_node->name,
+			input_node->name, output_node->driving,
+			output->flags, input->flags, impl->async);
 
 	pw_impl_port_emit_link_added(output, this);
 	pw_impl_port_emit_link_added(input, this);
diff --git a/src/pipewire/impl-node.c b/src/pipewire/impl-node.c
index 4def52897..c75e5793e 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/impl-node.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/impl-node.c
@@ -112,13 +112,12 @@ static inline void activate_target(struct pw_impl_node *node, struct pw_node_tar
 {
 	struct pw_node_activation_state *state = &t->activation->state[0];
 	if (!t->active) {
-		if (!node->async || node->driving) {
+		if (!node->async) {
 			if (!node->exported) {
 				SPA_ATOMIC_INC(state->required);
 				SPA_ATOMIC_INC(state->pending);
 			}
 		}
-		t->active_driving = node->driving;
 		t->active = true;
 		pw_log_debug("%p: target state:%p id:%d pending:%d/%d %d:%d:%d",
 				node, state, t->id, state->pending, state->required,
@@ -130,7 +129,7 @@ static inline void deactivate_target(struct pw_impl_node *node, struct pw_node_t
 {
 	if (t->active) {
 		struct pw_node_activation_state *state = &t->activation->state[0];
-		if (!node->async || t->active_driving) {
+		if (!node->async) {
 			/* the driver copies the required to the pending state
 			 * so first try to resume the node and then decrement the
 			 * required state. This way we either resume with the old value
@@ -141,7 +140,6 @@ static inline void deactivate_target(struct pw_impl_node *node, struct pw_node_t
 				SPA_ATOMIC_DEC(state->required);
 		}
 		t->active = false;
-		t->active_driving = false;
 		pw_log_debug("%p: target state:%p id:%d pending:%d/%d %d:%d:%d trigger:%"PRIu64,
 				node, state, t->id, state->pending, state->required,
 				node->async, node->driving, node->exported, trigger);
@@ -1202,6 +1200,7 @@ static void check_properties(struct pw_impl_node *node)
 		recalc_reason = "transport changed";
 	}
 	async = pw_properties_get_bool(node->properties, PW_KEY_NODE_ASYNC, false);
+	async &= !node->driver;
 	if (async != node->async) {
 		pw_log_info("%p: async %d -> %d", node, node->async, async);
 		node->async = async;
diff --git a/src/pipewire/private.h b/src/pipewire/private.h
index 25af677ac..8c01fe8d5 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/private.h
+++ b/src/pipewire/private.h
@@ -541,7 +541,6 @@ struct pw_node_target {
 	int fd;
 	void (*trigger)(struct pw_node_target *t, uint64_t nsec);
 	unsigned int active:1;
-	unsigned int active_driving:1;
 	unsigned int added:1;
 };