diff --git a/source/glest_game/game/game.cpp b/source/glest_game/game/game.cpp
index 5353df41..91918ef0 100644
--- a/source/glest_game/game/game.cpp
+++ b/source/glest_game/game/game.cpp
@@ -611,7 +611,10 @@ void Game::init(bool initForPreviewOnly)
 
 		SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugSystem,"In [%s::%s Line: %d]\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__);
 		//sounds
+
 		SoundRenderer &soundRenderer= SoundRenderer::getInstance();
+		soundRenderer.stopAllSounds();
+		soundRenderer= SoundRenderer::getInstance();
 
 		Tileset *tileset= world.getTileset();
 		AmbientSounds *ambientSounds= tileset->getAmbientSounds();
diff --git a/source/glest_game/main/program.cpp b/source/glest_game/main/program.cpp
index d82a7e97..88efece3 100644
--- a/source/glest_game/main/program.cpp
+++ b/source/glest_game/main/program.cpp
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ void Program::loopWorker() {
 		if(prevState == this->programState) {
 			//SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugSystem,"In [%s::%s %d]\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__);
 
-			if(soundThreadManager == NULL) {
+			if(soundThreadManager == NULL || soundThreadManager->isThreadExecutionLagging()) {
 				SoundRenderer::getInstance().update();
 				if(chronoUpdateLoop.getMillis() > 0) SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugPerformance,"In [%s::%s Line: %d] SoundRenderer::getInstance().update() took msecs: %lld, updateCount = %d\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__,chronoUpdateLoop.getMillis(),updateCount);
 				if(chronoUpdateLoop.getMillis() > 0) chronoUpdateLoop.start();
@@ -553,10 +553,11 @@ void Program::init(WindowGl *window, bool initSound, bool toggleFullScreen){
         }
 
 		// Run sound streaming in a background thread if enabled
-		if(config.getBool("ThreadedSoundStream","false") == true) {
-			BaseThread::shutdownAndWait(soundThreadManager);
-			delete soundThreadManager;
-			soundThreadManager = new SimpleTaskThread(&SoundRenderer::getInstance(),0,50);
+        if(SoundRenderer::getInstance().runningThreaded() == true) {
+			if(BaseThread::shutdownAndWait(soundThreadManager) == true) {
+				delete soundThreadManager;
+			}
+			soundThreadManager = new SimpleTaskThread(&SoundRenderer::getInstance(),0,10);
 			soundThreadManager->setUniqueID(__FILE__);
 			soundThreadManager->start();
 		}
diff --git a/source/glest_game/menu/main_menu.cpp b/source/glest_game/menu/main_menu.cpp
index b809f3c3..071d2fdb 100644
--- a/source/glest_game/menu/main_menu.cpp
+++ b/source/glest_game/menu/main_menu.cpp
@@ -76,8 +76,8 @@ MainMenu::~MainMenu() {
 
 	SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugSystem,"In [%s::%s %d]\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__);
 
-	SoundRenderer &soundRenderer= SoundRenderer::getInstance();
-	soundRenderer.stopAllSounds();
+	//SoundRenderer &soundRenderer= SoundRenderer::getInstance();
+	//soundRenderer.stopAllSounds();
 
 	SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugSystem,"In [%s::%s %d]\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__);
 }
diff --git a/source/glest_game/menu/menu_state_custom_game.cpp b/source/glest_game/menu/menu_state_custom_game.cpp
index 4b187b17..ef7bd4f7 100644
--- a/source/glest_game/menu/menu_state_custom_game.cpp
+++ b/source/glest_game/menu/menu_state_custom_game.cpp
@@ -1361,6 +1361,10 @@ void MenuStateCustomGame::update() {
 	Chrono chrono;
 	chrono.start();
 
+	// Test openal buffer underrun issue
+	//sleep(200);
+	// END
+
 	MutexSafeWrapper safeMutex((publishToMasterserverThread != NULL ? publishToMasterserverThread->getMutexThreadObjectAccessor() : NULL));
 
 	try {
diff --git a/source/glest_game/sound/sound_renderer.cpp b/source/glest_game/sound/sound_renderer.cpp
index 9cefb158..e298ca06 100644
--- a/source/glest_game/sound/sound_renderer.cpp
+++ b/source/glest_game/sound/sound_renderer.cpp
@@ -37,8 +37,10 @@ SoundRenderer::SoundRenderer() {
     soundPlayer = NULL;
 	loadConfig();
 
-	runThreadSafe = false;
-	SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugSystem,"In [%s::%s %d]\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__);
+	Config &config= Config::getInstance();
+	runThreadSafe = config.getBool("ThreadedSoundStream","true");
+
+	SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugSystem,"In [%s::%s Line: %d] runThreadSafe = %d\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__,runThreadSafe);
 }
 
 bool SoundRenderer::init(Window *window) {
@@ -46,14 +48,18 @@ bool SoundRenderer::init(Window *window) {
 
 	SoundInterface &si= SoundInterface::getInstance();
 	FactoryRepository &fr= FactoryRepository::getInstance();
-	Config &config= Config::getInstance();
-	runThreadSafe = config.getBool("ThreadedSoundStream","false");
 
 	SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugSystem,"In [%s::%s %d]\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__);
+	Config &config= Config::getInstance();
 	si.setFactory(fr.getSoundFactory(config.getString("FactorySound")));
 
 	stopAllSounds();
 
+    MutexSafeWrapper safeMutex(NULL);
+	if(runThreadSafe == true) {
+	    safeMutex.setMutex(&mutex);
+	}
+
 	soundPlayer= si.newSoundPlayer();
 	if(soundPlayer != NULL) {
 		SoundPlayerParams soundPlayerParams;
@@ -61,6 +67,7 @@ bool SoundRenderer::init(Window *window) {
 		soundPlayerParams.strBufferCount= config.getInt("SoundStreamingBuffers");
 		soundPlayer->init(&soundPlayerParams);
 	}
+	safeMutex.ReleaseLock();
 
 	SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugSystem,"In [%s::%s %d]\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__);
 
@@ -89,6 +96,10 @@ SoundRenderer::~SoundRenderer() {
 
     SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugSystem,"In [%s::%s %d]\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__);
 
+    MutexSafeWrapper safeMutex(NULL);
+	if(runThreadSafe == true) {
+	    safeMutex.setMutex(&mutex);
+	}
 	delete soundPlayer;
 	soundPlayer = NULL;
 
diff --git a/source/glest_game/sound/sound_renderer.h b/source/glest_game/sound/sound_renderer.h
index ce4f2eb8..4250b293 100644
--- a/source/glest_game/sound/sound_renderer.h
+++ b/source/glest_game/sound/sound_renderer.h
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ public:
 	void loadConfig();
 
 	bool wasInitOk() const;
+
+	bool runningThreaded() const { return runThreadSafe; }
 };
 
 }}//end namespace
diff --git a/source/shared_lib/include/platform/common/simple_threads.h b/source/shared_lib/include/platform/common/simple_threads.h
index 1c75b57e..b7eb5a61 100644
--- a/source/shared_lib/include/platform/common/simple_threads.h
+++ b/source/shared_lib/include/platform/common/simple_threads.h
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ protected:
 	bool taskSignalled;
 	bool needTaskSignal;
 
+	Mutex mutexLastExecuteTimestamp;
+	time_t lastExecuteTimestamp;
+
 public:
 	SimpleTaskThread();
 	SimpleTaskThread(SimpleTaskCallbackInterface *simpleTaskInterface,
@@ -74,6 +77,8 @@ public:
 
     void setTaskSignalled(bool value);
     bool getTaskSignalled();
+
+    bool isThreadExecutionLagging();
 };
 
 // =====================================================
diff --git a/source/shared_lib/sources/platform/common/simple_threads.cpp b/source/shared_lib/sources/platform/common/simple_threads.cpp
index 5a425baa..fc1c027a 100644
--- a/source/shared_lib/sources/platform/common/simple_threads.cpp
+++ b/source/shared_lib/sources/platform/common/simple_threads.cpp
@@ -85,6 +85,18 @@ SimpleTaskThread::SimpleTaskThread(	SimpleTaskCallbackInterface *simpleTaskInter
 	this->millisecsBetweenExecutions = millisecsBetweenExecutions;
 	this->needTaskSignal			 = needTaskSignal;
 	setTaskSignalled(false);
+
+	MutexSafeWrapper safeMutex(&mutexLastExecuteTimestamp);
+	lastExecuteTimestamp = time(NULL);
+}
+
+bool SimpleTaskThread::isThreadExecutionLagging() {
+	bool result = false;
+	MutexSafeWrapper safeMutex(&mutexLastExecuteTimestamp);
+	result = (difftime(time(NULL),lastExecuteTimestamp) >= 5.0);
+	safeMutex.ReleaseLock();
+
+	return result;
 }
 
 bool SimpleTaskThread::canShutdown(bool deleteSelfIfShutdownDelayed) {
@@ -124,8 +136,12 @@ void SimpleTaskThread::execute() {
                 else if(runTask == true) {
                     //SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugNetwork,"In [%s::%s Line: %d] uniqueID [%s]\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__,this->getUniqueID().c_str());
                     if(getQuitStatus() == false) {
-                        ExecutingTaskSafeWrapper safeExecutingTaskMutex(this);
+                    	ExecutingTaskSafeWrapper safeExecutingTaskMutex(this);
                         this->simpleTaskInterface->simpleTask(this);
+
+                        MutexSafeWrapper safeMutex(&mutexLastExecuteTimestamp);
+                    	lastExecuteTimestamp = time(NULL);
+                    	safeMutex.ReleaseLock();
                     }
                     //SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugNetwork,"In [%s::%s Line: %d] uniqueID [%s]\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__,this->getUniqueID().c_str());
                 }