diff --git a/src/daemon/pipewire-pulse.conf.in b/src/daemon/pipewire-pulse.conf.in
index 1ee3494a0..2d381a145 100644
--- a/src/daemon/pipewire-pulse.conf.in
+++ b/src/daemon/pipewire-pulse.conf.in
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ pulse.properties = {
     #pulse.default.frag     = 96000/48000   # 2 seconds
     #pulse.default.tlength  = 96000/48000   # 2 seconds
     #pulse.min.quantum      = 256/48000     # 5ms
+    #pulse.idle.timeout     = 5             # pause after 5s of underruns
     #pulse.default.format   = F32
     #pulse.default.position = [ FL FR ]
     # These overrides are only applied when running in a vm.
@@ -141,6 +142,7 @@ pulse.rules = [
             update-props = {
                 pulse.min.req          = 1024/48000     # 21ms
                 pulse.min.quantum      = 1024/48000     # 21ms
+                #pulse.idle.timeout    = 0
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/internal.h b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/internal.h
index fe8070f7c..1d5731c99 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/internal.h
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/internal.h
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ struct defs {
 	struct sample_spec sample_spec;
 	struct channel_map channel_map;
 	uint32_t quantum_limit;
+	uint32_t idle_timeout;
 };
 
 struct stats {
diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c
index 8e657e927..84bf3b56c 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@
 #define DEFAULT_MIN_QUANTUM	"256/48000"
 #define DEFAULT_FORMAT		"F32"
 #define DEFAULT_POSITION	"[ FL FR ]"
+#define DEFAULT_IDLE_TIMEOUT	"5"
 
 #define MAX_FORMATS	32
 /* The max amount of data we send in one block when capturing. In PulseAudio this
@@ -1276,6 +1277,7 @@ struct process_data {
 	uint32_t minreq;
 	uint32_t quantum;
 	unsigned int underrun:1;
+	unsigned int idle:1;
 };
 
 static int
@@ -1315,6 +1317,17 @@ do_process_done(struct spa_loop *loop,
 			else
 				stream_send_started(stream);
 		}
+		if (pd->idle) {
+			if (!stream->is_idle) {
+				stream->idle_time = stream->timestamp;
+			} else if (!stream->is_paused &&
+			    stream->idle_timeout_sec > 0 &&
+			    stream->timestamp - stream->idle_time >
+					(stream->idle_timeout_sec * SPA_NSEC_PER_SEC)) {
+				stream_set_paused(stream, true, "long underrun");
+			}
+		}
+		stream->is_idle = pd->idle;
 		stream->playing_for += pd->playing_for;
 		if (stream->underrun_for != (uint64_t)-1)
 			stream->underrun_for += pd->underrun_for;
@@ -1440,6 +1453,7 @@ static void stream_process(void *data)
 
 				pd.playing_for = size;
 			}
+			pd.idle = true;
 			pw_log_debug("%p: [%s] underrun read:%u avail:%d max:%u",
 					stream, client->name, index, avail, minreq);
 		} else {
@@ -5548,6 +5562,20 @@ static int parse_format(struct pw_properties *props, const char *key, const char
 	pw_log_info(": defaults: %s = %s", key, format_id2name(res->format));
 	return 0;
 }
+static int parse_uint32(struct pw_properties *props, const char *key, const char *def,
+		uint32_t *res)
+{
+	const char *str;
+	if (props == NULL ||
+	    (str = pw_properties_get(props, key)) == NULL)
+		str = def;
+	if (!spa_atou32(str, res, 0)) {
+		pw_log_warn(": invalid uint32_t %s, default to %s", str, def);
+		spa_atou32(def, res, 0);
+	}
+	pw_log_info(": defaults: %s = %u", key, *res);
+	return 0;
+}
 
 static void load_defaults(struct defs *def, struct pw_properties *props)
 {
@@ -5559,6 +5587,7 @@ static void load_defaults(struct defs *def, struct pw_properties *props)
 	parse_frac(props, "pulse.min.quantum", DEFAULT_MIN_QUANTUM, &def->min_quantum);
 	parse_format(props, "pulse.default.format", DEFAULT_FORMAT, &def->sample_spec);
 	parse_position(props, "pulse.default.position", DEFAULT_POSITION, &def->channel_map);
+	parse_uint32(props, "pulse.idle.timeout", DEFAULT_IDLE_TIMEOUT, &def->idle_timeout);
 	def->sample_spec.channels = def->channel_map.channels;
 	def->quantum_limit = 8192;
 }
diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/server.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/server.c
index 5f2fdaba3..503746f8f 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/server.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/server.c
@@ -191,6 +191,9 @@ static int handle_memblock(struct client *client, struct message *msg)
 
 	stream_send_request(stream);
 
+	if (stream->is_paused && !stream->corked)
+		stream_set_paused(stream, false, "new data");
+
 finish:
 	message_free(msg, false, false);
 	return res;
diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/stream.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/stream.c
index f0b0d3587..fb4309086 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/stream.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/stream.c
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ struct stream *stream_new(struct client *client, enum stream_type type, uint32_t
 {
 	int res;
 	struct defs *defs = &client->impl->defs;
+	const char *str;
 
 	struct stream *stream = calloc(1, sizeof(*stream));
 	if (stream == NULL)
@@ -90,6 +91,9 @@ struct stream *stream_new(struct client *client, enum stream_type type, uint32_t
 	parse_frac(client->props, "pulse.default.req", &defs->default_req, &stream->default_req);
 	parse_frac(client->props, "pulse.default.frag", &defs->default_frag, &stream->default_frag);
 	parse_frac(client->props, "pulse.default.tlength", &defs->default_tlength, &stream->default_tlength);
+	stream->idle_timeout_sec = defs->idle_timeout;
+	if ((str = pw_properties_get(client->props, "pulse.idle.timeout")) != NULL)
+		spa_atou32(str, &stream->idle_timeout_sec, 0);
 
 	switch (type) {
 	case STREAM_TYPE_RECORD:
diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/stream.h b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/stream.h
index ac144118f..424b2a1e8 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/stream.h
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/stream.h
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ struct stream {
 	uint64_t playing_for;
 	uint64_t ticks_base;
 	uint64_t timestamp;
+	uint64_t idle_time;
 	int64_t delay;
 
 	uint32_t last_quantum;
@@ -93,6 +94,7 @@ struct stream {
 	struct spa_fraction default_frag;
 	struct spa_fraction default_tlength;
 	struct spa_fraction min_quantum;
+	uint32_t idle_timeout_sec;
 
 	struct sample_spec ss;
 	struct channel_map map;
@@ -115,6 +117,7 @@ struct stream {
 	unsigned int in_prebuf:1;
 	unsigned int killed:1;
 	unsigned int pending:1;
+	unsigned int is_idle:1;
 	unsigned int is_paused:1;
 };