diff --git a/libao-async-ffi-racket.rkt b/libao-async-ffi-racket.rkt
index 933c3da..cf0441a 100644
--- a/libao-async-ffi-racket.rkt
+++ b/libao-async-ffi-racket.rkt
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@
   #:mutable
   )
 
-(define ao-buf-ms 50)  ;; Playback buffer of 0.5s
+(define ao-buf-ms 500)  ;; Playback buffer of 0.5s
 
 (define (get h ms-wait)
   (let ((el (if (<= ms-wait 0)
@@ -469,12 +469,14 @@
           (mutex-lock (ao-handle-pause-mutex h))
           (mutex-unlock (ao-handle-pause-mutex h))
           (mutex-lock (ao-handle-clear-mutex h))
-          (let ((elem (get h 250)))
+          (let ((if (ao-handle-paused h)
+                    #f
+                    (elem (get h 250))))
             (mutex-unlock (ao-handle-clear-mutex h))
             (if (eq? elem #f)
               (begin
                 (dbg-sound "nothing in the queue")
-                (sleep 0.005))
+                (sleep 0.01))
               (begin
                 (if (eq? (queue-elem-command elem) 'stop)
                     (set! go-on #f)