diff --git a/spa/plugins/bluez5/media-sink.c b/spa/plugins/bluez5/media-sink.c
index 63d9cd760..92c4e2cb2 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/bluez5/media-sink.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/bluez5/media-sink.c
@@ -1083,7 +1083,7 @@ static void media_on_timeout(struct spa_source *source)
 	uint32_t rate;
 	struct spa_io_buffers *io = port->io;
 	uint64_t prev_time, now_time;
-	int res;
+	int status, res;
 
 	if (this->started) {
 		if ((res = spa_system_timerfd_read(this->data_system, this->timerfd, &exp)) < 0) {
@@ -1131,10 +1131,12 @@ static void media_on_timeout(struct spa_source *source)
 		this->clock->delay = (delay_nsec * this->clock->rate.denom) / SPA_NSEC_PER_SEC;
 	}
 
+	status = this->transport_started ? SPA_STATUS_NEED_DATA : SPA_STATUS_HAVE_DATA;
 
-	spa_log_trace(this->log, "%p: %d", this, io->status);
-	io->status = SPA_STATUS_NEED_DATA;
-	spa_node_call_ready(&this->callbacks, SPA_STATUS_NEED_DATA);
+	spa_log_trace(this->log, "%p: %d -> %d", this, io->status, status);
+	io->status = status;
+	io->buffer_id = SPA_ID_INVALID;
+	spa_node_call_ready(&this->callbacks, status);
 
 	set_timeout(this, this->next_time);
 }
@@ -1847,8 +1849,13 @@ static int impl_node_process(void *object)
 		return SPA_STATUS_HAVE_DATA;
 	}
 
-	if (!this->started || !this->transport_started)
-		return SPA_STATUS_OK;
+	if (!this->started || !this->transport_started) {
+		if (io->status != SPA_STATUS_HAVE_DATA) {
+			io->status = SPA_STATUS_HAVE_DATA;
+			io->buffer_id = SPA_ID_INVALID;
+		}
+		return SPA_STATUS_HAVE_DATA;
+	}
 
 	if (io->status == SPA_STATUS_HAVE_DATA && io->buffer_id < port->n_buffers) {
 		struct buffer *b = &port->buffers[io->buffer_id];
diff --git a/spa/plugins/bluez5/sco-sink.c b/spa/plugins/bluez5/sco-sink.c
index 21f98fa1f..3fe908591 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/bluez5/sco-sink.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/bluez5/sco-sink.c
@@ -586,7 +586,7 @@ static void sco_on_timeout(struct spa_source *source)
 	uint32_t rate;
 	struct spa_io_buffers *io = port->io;
 	uint64_t prev_time, now_time;
-	int res;
+	int status, res;
 
 	if (this->started) {
 		if ((res = spa_system_timerfd_read(this->data_system, this->timerfd, &exp)) < 0) {
@@ -622,9 +622,12 @@ static void sco_on_timeout(struct spa_source *source)
 		this->clock->delay = 0;
 	}
 
-	spa_log_trace(this->log, "%p: %d", this, io->status);
-	io->status = SPA_STATUS_NEED_DATA;
-	spa_node_call_ready(&this->callbacks, SPA_STATUS_NEED_DATA);
+	status = this->transport_started ? SPA_STATUS_NEED_DATA : SPA_STATUS_HAVE_DATA;
+
+	spa_log_trace(this->log, "%p: %d -> %d", this, io->status, status);
+	io->status = status;
+	io->buffer_id = SPA_ID_INVALID;
+	spa_node_call_ready(&this->callbacks, status);
 
 	set_timeout(this, this->next_time);
 }
@@ -1296,8 +1299,13 @@ static int impl_node_process(void *object)
 		return SPA_STATUS_HAVE_DATA;
 	}
 
-	if (!this->started || !this->transport_started)
-		return SPA_STATUS_OK;
+	if (!this->started || !this->transport_started) {
+		if (io->status != SPA_STATUS_HAVE_DATA) {
+			io->status = SPA_STATUS_HAVE_DATA;
+			io->buffer_id = SPA_ID_INVALID;
+		}
+		return SPA_STATUS_HAVE_DATA;
+	}
 
 	if (io->status == SPA_STATUS_HAVE_DATA && io->buffer_id < port->n_buffers) {
 		struct buffer *b = &port->buffers[io->buffer_id];