diff --git a/mplayer.c b/mplayer.c
index 1934fe0a72..07098f8ecd 100644
--- a/mplayer.c
+++ b/mplayer.c
@@ -2333,7 +2333,7 @@ if(time_frame>0.001 && !(vo_flags&256)){
 	static int drop_message=0;
         float x;
 	AV_delay=(a_pts-delay-audio_delay)-v_pts;
-	if(AV_delay>0.5 && drop_frame_cnt>50+drop_message*250){
+	if(AV_delay>0.5 && drop_frame_cnt>50 && drop_message==0){
 	  ++drop_message;
 	  mp_msg(MSGT_AVSYNC,MSGL_WARN,MSGTR_SystemTooSlow);
 	}