diff --git a/input/input.c b/input/input.c
index 6b457bad7f..e422e9f1a2 100644
--- a/input/input.c
+++ b/input/input.c
@@ -622,6 +622,8 @@ struct input_ctx {
 
     struct cmd_queue key_cmd_queue;
     struct cmd_queue control_cmd_queue;
+
+    int wakeup_pipe[2];
 };
 
 
@@ -1104,6 +1106,13 @@ static int default_cmd_func(int fd, char *buf, int l)
     }
 }
 
+static int read_wakeup(void *ctx, int fd)
+{
+    char buf[100];
+    read(fd, buf, sizeof(buf));
+    return MP_INPUT_NOTHING;
+}
+
 
 static char *find_bind_for_key(const struct cmd_bind *binds, int n, int *keys)
 {
@@ -1126,7 +1135,7 @@ static char *find_bind_for_key(const struct cmd_bind *binds, int n, int *keys)
 }
 
 static struct cmd_bind_section *get_bind_section(struct input_ctx *ictx,
-                                               char *section)
+                                                 char *section)
 {
     struct cmd_bind_section *bind_section = ictx->cmd_bind_sections;
 
@@ -1731,8 +1740,25 @@ struct input_ctx *mp_input_init(struct input_conf *input_conf)
         .ar_delay = input_conf->ar_delay,
         .ar_rate = input_conf->ar_rate,
         .default_bindings = input_conf->default_bindings,
+        .wakeup_pipe = {-1, -1},
     };
 
+#ifndef __MINGW32__
+    long ret = pipe(ictx->wakeup_pipe);
+    for (int i = 0; i < 2 && ret >= 0; i++) {
+        ret = fcntl(ictx->wakeup_pipe[i], F_GETFL);
+        if (ret < 0)
+            break;
+        ret = fcntl(ictx->wakeup_pipe[i], F_SETFL, ret | O_NONBLOCK);
+    }
+    if (ret < 0)
+        mp_msg(MSGT_INPUT, MSGL_ERR,
+               "Failed to initialize wakeup pipe: %s\n", strerror(errno));
+    else
+        mp_input_add_key_fd(ictx, ictx->wakeup_pipe[0], true, read_wakeup,
+                            NULL, NULL);
+#endif
+
     char *file;
     char *config_file = input_conf->config_file;
     file = config_file[0] != '/' ? get_path(config_file) : config_file;
@@ -1830,17 +1856,17 @@ void mp_input_uninit(struct input_ctx *ictx)
     if (!ictx)
         return;
 
-    unsigned int i;
-
-    for (i = 0; i < ictx->num_key_fd; i++) {
+    for (int i = 0; i < ictx->num_key_fd; i++) {
         if (ictx->key_fds[i].close_func)
             ictx->key_fds[i].close_func(ictx->key_fds[i].fd);
     }
-
-    for (i = 0; i < ictx->num_cmd_fd; i++) {
+    for (int i = 0; i < ictx->num_cmd_fd; i++) {
         if (ictx->cmd_fds[i].close_func)
             ictx->cmd_fds[i].close_func(ictx->cmd_fds[i].fd);
     }
+    for (int i = 0; i < 2; i++)
+        if (ictx->wakeup_pipe[i] != -1)
+            close(ictx->wakeup_pipe[i]);
     talloc_free(ictx);
 }
 
@@ -1890,6 +1916,12 @@ static int print_cmd_list(m_option_t *cfg)
     exit(0);
 }
 
+void mp_input_wakeup(struct input_ctx *ictx)
+{
+    if (ictx->wakeup_pipe[1] >= 0)
+        write(ictx->wakeup_pipe[1], &(char){0}, 1);
+}
+
 /**
  * \param time time to wait for an interruption in milliseconds
  */
diff --git a/input/input.h b/input/input.h
index 4cd006fa9a..c5f6940990 100644
--- a/input/input.h
+++ b/input/input.h
@@ -272,6 +272,9 @@ void mp_input_uninit(struct input_ctx *ictx);
 struct m_config;
 void mp_input_register_options(struct m_config *cfg);
 
+// Wake up sleeping input loop from another thread.
+void mp_input_wakeup(struct input_ctx *ictx);
+
 // Interruptible usleep:  (used by libmpdemux)
 int mp_input_check_interrupt(struct input_ctx *ictx, int time);
 
diff --git a/libao2/ao_pulse.c b/libao2/ao_pulse.c
index 659a2bc907..ddaf35716c 100644
--- a/libao2/ao_pulse.c
+++ b/libao2/ao_pulse.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include "libaf/af_format.h"
 #include "mp_msg.h"
 #include "audio_out.h"
+#include "input/input.h"
 
 #define PULSE_CLIENT_NAME "mplayer2"
 
@@ -84,6 +85,7 @@ static void stream_request_cb(pa_stream *s, size_t length, void *userdata)
 {
     struct ao *ao = userdata;
     struct priv *priv = ao->priv;
+    mp_input_wakeup(ao->input_ctx);
     pa_threaded_mainloop_signal(priv->mainloop, 0);
 }
 
@@ -263,8 +265,14 @@ static int init(struct ao *ao, char *params)
     pa_stream_set_write_callback(priv->stream, stream_request_cb, ao);
     pa_stream_set_latency_update_callback(priv->stream,
                                           stream_latency_update_cb, ao);
-
-    if (pa_stream_connect_playback(priv->stream, sink, NULL,
+    pa_buffer_attr bufattr = {
+        .maxlength = -1,
+        .tlength = pa_usec_to_bytes(1000000, &ss),
+        .prebuf = -1,
+        .minreq = -1,
+        .fragsize = -1,
+    };
+    if (pa_stream_connect_playback(priv->stream, sink, &bufattr,
                                    PA_STREAM_INTERPOLATE_TIMING
                                    | PA_STREAM_AUTO_TIMING_UPDATE, NULL,
                                    NULL) < 0)
diff --git a/libao2/audio_out.c b/libao2/audio_out.c
index a91a0d6d72..6130e2ed33 100644
--- a/libao2/audio_out.c
+++ b/libao2/audio_out.c
@@ -136,10 +136,11 @@ void list_audio_out(void)
     mp_msg(MSGT_GLOBAL, MSGL_INFO,"\n");
 }
 
-struct ao *ao_create(void)
+struct ao *ao_create(struct MPOpts *opts, struct input_ctx *input)
 {
     struct ao *r = talloc(NULL, struct ao);
-    *r = (struct ao){.outburst = OUTBURST, .buffersize = -1};
+    *r = (struct ao){.outburst = OUTBURST, .buffersize = -1,
+                     .opts = opts, .input_ctx = input };
     return r;
 }
 
diff --git a/libao2/audio_out.h b/libao2/audio_out.h
index cbd913656b..1c472565a0 100644
--- a/libao2/audio_out.h
+++ b/libao2/audio_out.h
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ struct ao {
     const struct ao_driver *driver;
     void *priv;
     struct MPOpts *opts;
+    struct input_ctx *input_ctx;
 };
 
 extern char *ao_subdevice;
@@ -109,7 +110,7 @@ typedef struct ao_control_vol {
     float right;
 } ao_control_vol_t;
 
-struct ao *ao_create(void);
+struct ao *ao_create(struct MPOpts *opts, struct input_ctx *input);
 void ao_init(struct ao *ao, char **ao_list);
 void ao_uninit(struct ao *ao, bool cut_audio);
 int ao_play(struct ao *ao, void *data, int len, int flags);
diff --git a/mplayer.c b/mplayer.c
index 4f7027ec79..eb278353e3 100644
--- a/mplayer.c
+++ b/mplayer.c
@@ -1775,8 +1775,7 @@ void reinit_audio_chain(struct MPContext *mpctx)
     current_module = "af_preinit";
     if (!(mpctx->initialized_flags & INITIALIZED_AO)) {
         mpctx->initialized_flags |= INITIALIZED_AO;
-        mpctx->ao = ao_create();
-        mpctx->ao->opts = opts;
+        mpctx->ao = ao_create(opts, mpctx->input);
         mpctx->ao->samplerate = force_srate;
         mpctx->ao->format = opts->audio_output_format;
     }