diff --git a/src/eventthread.cpp b/src/eventthread.cpp
index f87b5aa..63a6d86 100644
--- a/src/eventthread.cpp
+++ b/src/eventthread.cpp
@@ -28,13 +28,45 @@
 #include <SDL_thread.h>
 #include <SDL_touch.h>
 
+#include <alext.h>
+
 #include "sharedstate.h"
 #include "graphics.h"
 #include "settingsmenu.h"
+#include "al-util.h"
 #include "debugwriter.h"
 
 #include <string.h>
 
+typedef void (ALC_APIENTRY *LPALCDEVICEPAUSESOFT) (ALCdevice *device);
+typedef void (ALC_APIENTRY *LPALCDEVICERESUMESOFT) (ALCdevice *device);
+
+#define AL_DEVICE_PAUSE_FUN \
+	AL_FUN(DevicePause, LPALCDEVICEPAUSESOFT) \
+	AL_FUN(DeviceResume, LPALCDEVICERESUMESOFT)
+
+struct ALCFunctions
+{
+#define AL_FUN(name, type) type name;
+	AL_DEVICE_PAUSE_FUN
+#undef AL_FUN
+} static alc;
+
+static void
+initALCFunctions(ALCdevice *alcDev)
+{
+	if (!strstr(alcGetString(alcDev, ALC_EXTENSIONS), "ALC_SOFT_pause_device"))
+		return;
+
+	Debug() << "ALC_SOFT_pause_device present";
+
+#define AL_FUN(name, type) alc. name = (type) alcGetProcAddress(alcDev, "alc" #name "SOFT");
+	AL_DEVICE_PAUSE_FUN;
+#undef AL_FUN
+}
+
+#define HAVE_ALC_DEVICE_PAUSE alc.DevicePause
+
 uint8_t EventThread::keyStates[];
 EventThread::JoyState EventThread::joyState;
 EventThread::MouseState EventThread::mouseState;
@@ -76,6 +108,7 @@ void EventThread::process(RGSSThreadData &rtData)
 	SDL_Window *win = rtData.window;
 	UnidirMessage<Vec2i> &windowSizeMsg = rtData.windowSizeMsg;
 
+	initALCFunctions(rtData.alcDev);
 	SDL_SetEventFilter(eventFilter, &rtData);
 
 	fullscreen = rtData.config.fullscreen;
@@ -422,6 +455,9 @@ int EventThread::eventFilter(void *data, SDL_Event *event)
 	case SDL_APP_WILLENTERBACKGROUND :
 		Debug() << "SDL_APP_WILLENTERBACKGROUND";
 
+		if (HAVE_ALC_DEVICE_PAUSE)
+			alc.DevicePause(rtData.alcDev);
+
 		rtData.syncPoint.haltThreads();
 
 		return 0;
@@ -437,6 +473,9 @@ int EventThread::eventFilter(void *data, SDL_Event *event)
 	case SDL_APP_DIDENTERFOREGROUND :
 		Debug() << "SDL_APP_DIDENTERFOREGROUND";
 
+		if (HAVE_ALC_DEVICE_PAUSE)
+			alc.DeviceResume(rtData.alcDev);
+
 		rtData.syncPoint.resumeThreads();
 
 		return 0;