diff --git a/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-seq.c b/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-seq.c
index 8da724528..1349e242f 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-seq.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-seq.c
@@ -702,6 +702,21 @@ static int process_write(struct seq_state *state)
 	return res;
 }
 
+static void update_position(struct seq_state *state)
+{
+	if (state->position) {
+		struct spa_io_clock *clock = &state->position->clock;
+		state->rate = clock->rate;
+		if (state->rate.num == 0 || state->rate.denom == 0)
+			state->rate = SPA_FRACTION(1, 48000);
+		state->duration = clock->duration;
+	} else {
+		state->rate = SPA_FRACTION(1, 48000);
+		state->duration = 1024;
+	}
+	state->threshold = state->duration;
+}
+
 static int update_time(struct seq_state *state, uint64_t nsec, bool follower)
 {
 	snd_seq_queue_status_t *status;
@@ -710,16 +725,6 @@ static int update_time(struct seq_state *state, uint64_t nsec, bool follower)
 	double err, corr;
 	uint64_t queue_elapsed;
 
-	if (state->position) {
-		struct spa_io_clock *clock = &state->position->clock;
-		state->rate = clock->rate;
-		state->duration = clock->duration;
-	} else {
-		state->rate = SPA_FRACTION(1, 48000);
-		state->duration = 1024;
-	}
-	state->threshold = state->duration;
-
 	corr = 1.0 - (state->dll.z2 + state->dll.z3);
 
 	/* take queue time */
@@ -776,6 +781,8 @@ int spa_alsa_seq_process(struct seq_state *state)
 {
 	int res;
 
+	update_position(state);
+
 	res = process_recycle(state);
 
 	if (state->following && state->position) {
@@ -800,6 +807,8 @@ static void alsa_on_timeout_event(struct spa_source *source)
 
 	spa_log_trace(state->log, "timeout %"PRIu64, state->current_time);
 
+	update_position(state);
+
 	update_time(state, state->current_time, false);
 
 	res = process_read(state);
@@ -878,15 +887,7 @@ int spa_alsa_seq_start(struct seq_state *state)
 	while (snd_seq_drain_output(state->event.hndl) > 0)
 		sleep(1);
 
-	if (state->position) {
-		struct spa_io_clock *clock = &state->position->clock;
-		state->rate = clock->rate;
-		state->duration = clock->duration;
-	} else {
-		state->rate = SPA_FRACTION(1, 48000);
-		state->duration = 1024;
-	}
-	state->threshold = state->duration;
+	update_position(state);
 
 	state->started = true;