diff --git a/stepmania/src/arch/Sound/RageSoundDriver_Linux.cpp b/stepmania/src/arch/Sound/RageSoundDriver_Linux.cpp
index 55bb5a5275..5727794871 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/arch/Sound/RageSoundDriver_Linux.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/arch/Sound/RageSoundDriver_Linux.cpp
@@ -244,26 +244,33 @@ float RageSound_Linux::GetPlayLatency() const {
 
 RageSound_Linux::RageSound_Linux() {
 	last_pos = 0;
+	shutdown = false;
 	MixerThreadPtr = SDL_CreateThread(MixerThread_start,this);
 }
 	
 RageSound_Linux::~RageSound_Linux() {
 	LOG->Trace("RageSoundDriver_Linux::~RageSoundDriver_Linux(): Shutting down mixer thread ...");
+	shutdown = true;
 	SDL_WaitThread(MixerThreadPtr, NULL);
 	LOG->Trace("Mixer thread shut down.");
 	CloseAudio();
 }
 
-void RageSound_Linux::MixerThread() {
-	;
-}
-
 int RageSound_Linux::MixerThread_start(void *p) {
 	((RageSound_Linux *) p)->MixerThread();
 	return 0;
 }
 	
 	
+void RageSound_Linux::MixerThread() {
+	/* SOUNDMAN will be set once RageSoundManager's ctor returns and
+	 * assigns it; we might get here before that happens, though. */
+	while(!SOUNDMAN && !shutdown) sleep(10);
+	while(!shutdown) { while (GetData()); }
+}
+	
+	
+	
 	
 	
 	
diff --git a/stepmania/src/arch/Sound/RageSoundDriver_Linux.h b/stepmania/src/arch/Sound/RageSoundDriver_Linux.h
index c0e86cb3b2..c64ea1a11d 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/arch/Sound/RageSoundDriver_Linux.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/arch/Sound/RageSoundDriver_Linux.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ class RageSound_Linux : public RageSoundDriver {
 	Sint16 *chunks[8];	/* chunks of sound buffer */
 	snd_pcm_t *playback_handle; /* Handle for PCM device */
 	int last_pos;
+	bool shutdown;
 
 	void RecoverState(long state); /* Recover from various states */