diff --git a/ffplay.c b/ffplay.c
index aab03d1026..123f4bce16 100644
--- a/ffplay.c
+++ b/ffplay.c
@@ -2531,7 +2531,7 @@ static int audio_decode_frame(VideoState *is)
 static void sdl_audio_callback(void *opaque, Uint8 *stream, int len)
 {
     VideoState *is = opaque;
-    int audio_size, len1, silence = 0;
+    int audio_size, len1;
 
     audio_callback_time = av_gettime_relative();
 
@@ -2540,7 +2540,7 @@ static void sdl_audio_callback(void *opaque, Uint8 *stream, int len)
            audio_size = audio_decode_frame(is);
            if (audio_size < 0) {
                 /* if error, just output silence */
-               silence = 1;
+               is->audio_buf = NULL;
                is->audio_buf_size = SDL_AUDIO_MIN_BUFFER_SIZE / is->audio_tgt.frame_size * is->audio_tgt.frame_size;
            } else {
                if (is->show_mode != SHOW_MODE_VIDEO)
@@ -2552,11 +2552,11 @@ static void sdl_audio_callback(void *opaque, Uint8 *stream, int len)
         len1 = is->audio_buf_size - is->audio_buf_index;
         if (len1 > len)
             len1 = len;
-        if (!is->muted && !silence && is->audio_volume == SDL_MIX_MAXVOLUME)
+        if (!is->muted && is->audio_buf && is->audio_volume == SDL_MIX_MAXVOLUME)
             memcpy(stream, (uint8_t *)is->audio_buf + is->audio_buf_index, len1);
         else {
             memset(stream, 0, len1);
-            if (!is->muted && !silence)
+            if (!is->muted && is->audio_buf)
                 SDL_MixAudio(stream, (uint8_t *)is->audio_buf + is->audio_buf_index, len1, is->audio_volume);
         }
         len -= len1;