diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c
index c98ae4f3b..a474bfa14 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c
@@ -728,6 +728,7 @@ static void manager_added(void *data, struct pw_manager_object *o)
 		if (peer) {
 			reply_create_stream(s, peer);
 			spa_list_remove(&s->link);
+			s->pending = false;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -1070,10 +1071,12 @@ static void stream_param_changed(void *data, uint32_t id, const struct spa_pod *
 
 		/* if peer exists, reply immediately, otherwise reply when the link is created */
 		peer = find_linked(stream->client->manager, stream->id, stream->direction);
-		if (peer)
+		if (peer) {
 			reply_create_stream(stream, peer);
-		else
+		} else {
 			spa_list_append(&stream->client->pending_streams, &stream->link);
+			stream->pending = true;
+		}
 	}
 
 	params[n_params++] = get_buffers_param(stream, &stream->attr, &b);
diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/stream.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/stream.c
index 946edbd50..9ba93492a 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/stream.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/stream.c
@@ -96,7 +96,8 @@ void stream_free(struct stream *stream)
 
 	pw_log_debug("client %p: stream %p channel:%d", client, stream, stream->channel);
 
-	spa_list_remove(&stream->link);
+	if (stream->pending)
+		spa_list_remove(&stream->link);
 
 	if (stream->drain_tag)
 		reply_error(client, -1, stream->drain_tag, -ENOENT);
diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/stream.h b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/stream.h
index 790e0300c..12ba25aff 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/stream.h
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/stream.h
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ struct stream {
 	unsigned int in_prebuf:1;
 	unsigned int done:1;
 	unsigned int killed:1;
+	unsigned int pending:1;
 };
 
 struct stream *stream_new(struct client *client, enum stream_type type, uint32_t create_tag,