diff --git a/audio/audio_driver.c b/audio/audio_driver.c
index 0b0c68b75e..c2d0750ec8 100644
--- a/audio/audio_driver.c
+++ b/audio/audio_driver.c
@@ -505,3 +505,26 @@ bool audio_driver_alive(void)
       return driver->audio->alive(driver->audio_data);
    return false;
 }
+
+bool audio_driver_start(void)
+{
+   driver_t *driver     = driver_get_ptr();
+   if (driver && driver->audio && driver->audio->start)
+      return driver->audio->start(driver->audio_data);
+   return false;
+}
+
+bool audio_driver_stop(void)
+{
+   driver_t *driver     = driver_get_ptr();
+   if (driver && driver->audio && driver->audio->stop)
+      return driver->audio->stop(driver->audio_data);
+   return false;
+}
+
+void audio_driver_set_nonblock_state(bool toggle)
+{
+   driver_t *driver     = driver_get_ptr();
+   if (driver && driver->audio && driver->audio->set_nonblock_state)
+      driver->audio->set_nonblock_state(driver->audio_data, toggle);
+}
diff --git a/audio/audio_driver.h b/audio/audio_driver.h
index ebaf7d32d8..1fcdc45a8d 100644
--- a/audio/audio_driver.h
+++ b/audio/audio_driver.h
@@ -121,6 +121,12 @@ void audio_driver_readjust_input_rate(void);
 
 bool audio_driver_alive(void);
 
+bool audio_driver_start(void);
+
+bool audio_driver_stop(void);
+
+void audio_driver_set_nonblock_state(bool toggle);
+
 /**
  * config_get_audio_driver_options:
  *
diff --git a/driver.c b/driver.c
index 80409dfdc0..933af651be 100644
--- a/driver.c
+++ b/driver.c
@@ -292,8 +292,7 @@ void driver_set_nonblock_state(bool enable)
    }
 
    if (driver->audio_active && driver->audio_data)
-      driver->audio->set_nonblock_state(driver->audio_data,
-            settings->audio.sync ? enable : true);
+      audio_driver_set_nonblock_state(settings->audio.sync ? enable : true);
 
    global->audio_data.chunk_size = enable ?
       global->audio_data.nonblock_chunk_size : 
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index 4a065b9f09..210101fc15 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -2471,14 +2471,14 @@ bool rarch_main_command(unsigned cmd)
          if (!audio_driver_alive())
             return false;
 
-         driver->audio->stop(driver->audio_data);
+         if (!audio_driver_stop())
+            return false;
          break;
       case RARCH_CMD_AUDIO_START:
          if (!driver->audio_data || audio_driver_alive())
             return false;
 
-         if (!settings->audio.mute_enable
-               && !driver->audio->start(driver->audio_data))
+         if (!settings->audio.mute_enable && !audio_driver_start())
          {
             RARCH_ERR("Failed to start audio driver. Will continue without audio.\n");
             driver->audio_active = false;
@@ -2619,8 +2619,7 @@ bool rarch_main_command(unsigned cmd)
       case RARCH_CMD_AUDIO_SET_NONBLOCKING_STATE:
          boolean = true; /* fall-through */
       case RARCH_CMD_AUDIO_SET_BLOCKING_STATE:
-         if (driver->audio && driver->audio->set_nonblock_state)
-            driver->audio->set_nonblock_state(driver->audio_data, boolean);
+         audio_driver_set_nonblock_state(boolean);
          break;
       case RARCH_CMD_OVERLAY_SET_SCALE_FACTOR:
 #ifdef HAVE_OVERLAY