diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 190d6a6d7..a873c957d 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ Bugfixes:
  - GBA Video: Fix wrong palette on 256-color sprites in OBJWIN
  - Windows: Fix VDir.rewind
  - SDL: Fix game crash check
+ - SDL: Fix race condition with audio thread when starting
 Misc:
  - SDL: Remove scancode key input
  - GBA Video: Clean up unused timers
diff --git a/src/platform/sdl/main.c b/src/platform/sdl/main.c
index cf740f54f..24e0353c2 100644
--- a/src/platform/sdl/main.c
+++ b/src/platform/sdl/main.c
@@ -185,29 +185,31 @@ int mSDLRun(struct mSDLRenderer* renderer, struct mArguments* args) {
 	renderer->audio.samples = renderer->core->opts.audioBuffers;
 	renderer->audio.sampleRate = 44100;
 
-	bool didFail = !mSDLInitAudio(&renderer->audio, &thread);
+	bool didFail = !mCoreThreadStart(&thread);
 	if (!didFail) {
 #if SDL_VERSION_ATLEAST(2, 0, 0)
 		mSDLSetScreensaverSuspendable(&renderer->events, renderer->core->opts.suspendScreensaver);
 		mSDLSuspendScreensaver(&renderer->events);
 #endif
-		if (mCoreThreadStart(&thread)) {
+		if (mSDLInitAudio(&renderer->audio, &thread)) {
 			renderer->runloop(renderer, &thread);
 			mSDLPauseAudio(&renderer->audio);
 			if (mCoreThreadHasCrashed(&thread)) {
 				didFail = true;
 				printf("The game crashed!\n");
 			}
-			mCoreThreadJoin(&thread);
 		} else {
 			didFail = true;
-			printf("Could not run game. Are you sure the file exists and is a compatible game?\n");
+			printf("Could not initialize audio.\n");
 		}
-
 #if SDL_VERSION_ATLEAST(2, 0, 0)
 		mSDLResumeScreensaver(&renderer->events);
 		mSDLSetScreensaverSuspendable(&renderer->events, false);
 #endif
+
+		mCoreThreadJoin(&thread);
+	} else {
+		printf("Could not run game. Are you sure the file exists and is a compatible game?\n");
 	}
 	renderer->core->unloadROM(renderer->core);
 	return didFail;