diff --git a/alsa.c b/alsa.c
index ae38798..8f05fd9 100644
--- a/alsa.c
+++ b/alsa.c
@@ -30,22 +30,13 @@
 #include "espeakup.h"
 
 static pthread_mutex_t audio_mutex = PTHREAD_MUTEX_INITIALIZER;
+static volatile int stopped = 0;
 
 static snd_pcm_t *handle;
 static snd_pcm_hw_params_t *params;
 snd_pcm_status_t *status;
 static int dir = 0;
 
-void lock_audio_mutex(void)
-{
-	pthread_mutex_lock(&audio_mutex);
-}
-
-void unlock_audio_mutex(void)
-{
-	pthread_mutex_unlock(&audio_mutex);
-}
-
 int sound_error(int err, const char *msg)
 {
 	fprintf(stderr, "%s: %s\n", msg, snd_strerror(err));
@@ -68,14 +59,14 @@ static int alsa_play_callback(short *audio, int numsamples,
 	int to_write;
 	snd_pcm_state_t state;
 
-	lock_audio_mutex();
+	pthread_mutex_lock(&audio_mutex);
 	if (stopped) {
 		snd_pcm_drop(handle);
 		stopped = 0;
-		unlock_audio_mutex();
+		pthread_mutex_unlock(&audio_mutex);
 		return 1;
 	}
-	unlock_audio_mutex();
+	pthread_mutex_unlock(&audio_mutex);
 
 	snd_pcm_status(handle, status);
 	state = snd_pcm_status_get_state(status);
@@ -165,3 +156,17 @@ int init_audio(unsigned int rate)
 	espeak_SetSynthCallback(alsa_play_callback);
 	return 0;
 }
+
+void stop_audio(void)
+{
+	pthread_mutex_lock(&audio_mutex);
+	stopped = 1;
+	pthread_mutex_unlock(&audio_mutex);
+}
+
+void allow_audio(void)
+{
+	pthread_mutex_lock(&audio_mutex);
+	stopped = 0;
+	pthread_mutex_unlock(&audio_mutex);
+}
diff --git a/espeak_sound.c b/espeak_sound.c
index 4c2d6d1..b20f0e2 100644
--- a/espeak_sound.c
+++ b/espeak_sound.c
@@ -10,17 +10,12 @@ int init_audio(unsigned int rate)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-/*
- * lock_audio_mutex and unlock_audio_mutex are no-ops if we use native
- * sound support.  The stopped variable is never read; no need to protect it.
- */
-
-void lock_audio_mutex(void)
+void stop_audio(void)
 {
 	return;
 }
 
-void unlock_audio_mutex(void)
+void allow_audio(void)
 {
 	return;
 }
diff --git a/espeakup.c b/espeakup.c
index fd607a9..8ab88ad 100644
--- a/espeakup.c
+++ b/espeakup.c
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ const char *pidPath = "/var/run/espeakup.pid";
 int debug = 0;
 
 int self_pipe_fds[2];
-volatile int stopped = 0;
 volatile int should_run = 1;
 espeak_AUDIO_OUTPUT audio_mode;
 
diff --git a/espeakup.h b/espeakup.h
index 2992aa2..37ae8fd 100644
--- a/espeakup.h
+++ b/espeakup.h
@@ -77,10 +77,9 @@ extern void close_softsynth(void);
 extern void *softsynth_thread(void *arg);
 extern void select_audio_mode(void);
 extern int init_audio(unsigned int rate);
-extern void lock_audio_mutex(void);
-extern void unlock_audio_mutex(void);
+extern void stop_audio(void);
+extern void allow_audio(void);
 extern volatile int should_run;
-extern volatile int stopped;
 extern volatile int runner_must_stop;
 extern int self_pipe_fds[2];
 #define PIPE_READ_FD (self_pipe_fds[0])
diff --git a/synth.c b/synth.c
index ca9972c..991a11a 100644
--- a/synth.c
+++ b/synth.c
@@ -125,9 +125,7 @@ static espeak_ERROR set_volume(struct synth_t * s, int vol, enum adjust_t adj)
 
 static espeak_ERROR stop_speech(void)
 {
-	lock_audio_mutex();
-	stopped = 1;
-	unlock_audio_mutex();
+	stop_audio();
 	return (espeak_Cancel());
 }
 
@@ -135,9 +133,7 @@ static espeak_ERROR speak_text(struct synth_t * s)
 {
 	espeak_ERROR rc;
 
-	lock_audio_mutex();
-	stopped = 0;
-	unlock_audio_mutex();
+	allow_audio();
 	rc = espeak_Synth(s->buf, s->len + 1, 0, POS_CHARACTER, 0, 0, NULL,
 					  NULL);
 	return rc;