diff --git a/pinos/client/introspect.h b/pinos/client/introspect.h
index da14cb882..50ae9c3e6 100644
--- a/pinos/client/introspect.h
+++ b/pinos/client/introspect.h
@@ -45,8 +45,6 @@ typedef struct _PinosLinkInfo PinosLinkInfo;
  * @PINOS_NODE_STATE_CREATING: the node is being created
  * @PINOS_NODE_STATE_SUSPENDED: the node is suspended, the device might
  *                             be closed
- * @PINOS_NODE_STATE_INITIALIZING: the node is initializing, the device is
- *                        being opened and the capabilities are queried
  * @PINOS_NODE_STATE_IDLE: the node is running but there is no active
  *                         port
  * @PINOS_NODE_STATE_RUNNING: the node is running
diff --git a/pinos/server/link.c b/pinos/server/link.c
index 254fed596..907371c69 100644
--- a/pinos/server/link.c
+++ b/pinos/server/link.c
@@ -924,22 +924,24 @@ do_link_remove_done (SpaLoop        *loop,
     spa_list_remove (&this->input_link);
     this->input->node->n_used_input_links--;
 
+    clear_port_buffers (this, this->input);
+
     if (this->input->node->n_used_input_links == 0 &&
         this->input->node->n_used_output_links == 0)
       pinos_node_set_state (this->input->node, PINOS_NODE_STATE_IDLE);
 
-    clear_port_buffers (this, this->input);
     this->input = NULL;
   }
   if (this->output) {
     spa_list_remove (&this->output_link);
     this->output->node->n_used_output_links--;
 
+    clear_port_buffers (this, this->output);
+
     if (this->output->node->n_used_input_links == 0 &&
         this->output->node->n_used_output_links == 0)
       pinos_node_set_state (this->output->node, PINOS_NODE_STATE_IDLE);
 
-    clear_port_buffers (this, this->output);
     this->output = NULL;
   }
   if (--impl->refcount == 0)
diff --git a/pinos/server/node.c b/pinos/server/node.c
index f9c7d1a57..b0a6fdd78 100644
--- a/pinos/server/node.c
+++ b/pinos/server/node.c
@@ -162,8 +162,10 @@ pause_node (PinosNode *this)
   SpaResult res;
   SpaNodeCommand cmd;
 
-  pinos_log_debug ("node %p: pause node", this);
+  if (this->node->state <= SPA_NODE_STATE_PAUSED)
+    return SPA_RESULT_OK;
 
+  pinos_log_debug ("node %p: pause node", this);
   cmd.type = SPA_NODE_COMMAND_PAUSE;
   cmd.size = sizeof (cmd);
   if ((res = spa_node_send_command (this->node, &cmd)) < 0)
@@ -179,7 +181,6 @@ start_node (PinosNode *this)
   SpaNodeCommand cmd;
 
   pinos_log_debug ("node %p: start node", this);
-
   cmd.type = SPA_NODE_COMMAND_START;
   cmd.size = sizeof (cmd);
   if ((res = spa_node_send_command (this->node, &cmd)) < 0)
diff --git a/pinos/server/port.c b/pinos/server/port.c
index 6cf4c04cd..6c2f7c72d 100644
--- a/pinos/server/port.c
+++ b/pinos/server/port.c
@@ -243,11 +243,6 @@ do_remove_link_done (SpaLoop        *loop,
     }
   }
 
-  if (node->n_used_output_links == 0 &&
-      node->n_used_input_links == 0) {
-    pinos_node_update_state (node, PINOS_NODE_STATE_IDLE, NULL);
-  }
-
   if (!port->allocated) {
     pinos_log_debug ("port %p: clear buffers on port", port);
     spa_node_port_use_buffers (port->node->node,
@@ -258,6 +253,11 @@ do_remove_link_done (SpaLoop        *loop,
     port->n_buffers = 0;
   }
 
+  if (node->n_used_output_links == 0 &&
+      node->n_used_input_links == 0) {
+    pinos_node_update_state (node, PINOS_NODE_STATE_IDLE, NULL);
+  }
+
   return SPA_RESULT_OK;
 }
 
diff --git a/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-utils.c b/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-utils.c
index a31b0e2d5..5f03ed635 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-utils.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-utils.c
@@ -166,16 +166,22 @@ spa_alsa_set_format (SpaALSAState *state, SpaFormatAudio *fmt, SpaPortFormatFlag
   state->frame_size = info->channels * 2;
 
   period_size = props->period_size;
-  CHECK (snd_pcm_hw_params_set_period_size_near (hndl, params, &period_size, &dir), "set_period_size");
+  periods = props->periods;
+
+  spa_log_info (state->log, "trying period frames %zd and periods %u", period_size, periods);
+
+  dir = 0;
+  CHECK (snd_pcm_hw_params_set_period_size_near (hndl, params, &period_size, &dir), "set_period_size_near");
   state->period_frames = period_size;
 
-  periods = props->periods;
+  dir = 0;
   CHECK (snd_pcm_hw_params_set_periods_near (hndl, params, &periods, &dir), "set_periods_near");
   state->buffer_frames = periods * state->period_frames;
 
   CHECK (snd_pcm_hw_params_set_buffer_size (hndl, params, state->buffer_frames), "set_buffer_size");
 
-  spa_log_info (state->log, "buffer frames %zd, period frames %zd", state->buffer_frames, state->period_frames);
+  spa_log_info (state->log, "buffer frames %zd, period frames %zd, periods %u",
+      state->buffer_frames, state->period_frames, periods);
 
   /* write the parameters to device */
   CHECK (snd_pcm_hw_params (hndl, params), "set_hw_params");