diff --git a/src/apps/mediaplayer/SoundOutput.cpp b/src/apps/mediaplayer/SoundOutput.cpp
index f158bf6d31..007fa16e34 100644
--- a/src/apps/mediaplayer/SoundOutput.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/mediaplayer/SoundOutput.cpp
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ SoundOutput::Play(const void *data, size_t size)
 void
 SoundOutput::PlayBuffer(void *buffer)
 {
-	if (acquire_sem_etc(fBufferReadable, 1, B_RELATIVE_TIMEOUT, fBufferDuration) != B_OK) {
+	if (acquire_sem_etc(fBufferReadable, 1, B_RELATIVE_TIMEOUT, fBufferDuration / 2) != B_OK) {
 		printf("SoundOutput: buffer not ready, playing silence\n");
 		memset(buffer, 0, fBufferSize);
 		return;