diff --git a/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm.c b/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm.c
index 194b03db2..1c00bc733 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm.c
@@ -2540,7 +2540,6 @@ static int do_prepare(struct state *state)
 	reset_buffers(state);
 	state->alsa_sync = true;
 	state->alsa_sync_warning = false;
-	state->alsa_recovering = false;
 	state->alsa_started = false;
 
 	return 0;
@@ -2681,8 +2680,6 @@ static int get_avail(struct state *state, uint64_t current_time, snd_pcm_uframes
 			}
 			avail = state->threshold * 2;
 		}
-	} else {
-		state->alsa_recovering = false;
 	}
 	*delay = avail;
 
diff --git a/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm.h b/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm.h
index 2aa377f56..17f60f6d3 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm.h
+++ b/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm.h
@@ -212,7 +212,6 @@ struct state {
 	unsigned int alsa_started:1;
 	unsigned int alsa_sync:1;
 	unsigned int alsa_sync_warning:1;
-	unsigned int alsa_recovering:1;
 	unsigned int following:1;
 	unsigned int matching:1;
 	unsigned int resample:1;