diff --git a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AlsaSoundStream.cpp b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AlsaSoundStream.cpp
index d249640d1b..44f47400d9 100644
--- a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AlsaSoundStream.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AlsaSoundStream.cpp
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ AlsaSound::~AlsaSound()
   // Give the opportunity to the audio thread
   // to realize we are stopping the emulation
   cv.notify_one();
-  thread.join();
+  if (thread.joinable())
+    thread.join();
 }
 
 bool AlsaSound::Init()
diff --git a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AudioCommon.cpp b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AudioCommon.cpp
index dd9986077e..a8f09c2688 100644
--- a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AudioCommon.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AudioCommon.cpp
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ void InitSoundStream()
     WARN_LOG(AUDIO, "Could not initialize backend %s, using %s instead.", backend.c_str(),
              BACKEND_NULLSOUND);
     g_sound_stream = std::make_unique<NullSound>();
+    g_sound_stream->Init();
   }
 
   UpdateSoundStream();