diff --git a/apps/abrepeat.c b/apps/abrepeat.c
index b83a7b6aa3..fc1913d37b 100644
--- a/apps/abrepeat.c
+++ b/apps/abrepeat.c
@@ -111,13 +111,13 @@ reasonable amount of time for the typical user to react */
 
 void ab_jump_to_A_marker(void)
 {
-#if (CONFIG_CODEC == SWCODEC)
-    audio_seamless_seek(ab_A_marker);
-#else
+#if (CONFIG_CODEC != SWCODEC)
     bool paused = (audio_status() & AUDIO_STATUS_PAUSE) != 0;
     if ( ! paused )
         audio_pause();
+#endif
     audio_ff_rewind(ab_A_marker);
+#if (CONFIG_CODEC != SWCODEC)
     if ( ! paused )
         audio_resume();
 #endif
diff --git a/apps/pcmbuf.c b/apps/pcmbuf.c
index c0791987ce..7a261fecbe 100644
--- a/apps/pcmbuf.c
+++ b/apps/pcmbuf.c
@@ -61,8 +61,6 @@ static bool crossfade_init IDATA_ATTR;
 static size_t crossfade_pos IDATA_ATTR;
 static size_t crossfade_rem IDATA_ATTR;
 
-static struct mutex pcmbuf_mutex IDATA_ATTR;
-
 /* Crossfade modes. If CFM_CROSSFADE is selected, normal
  * crossfader will activate. Selecting CFM_FLUSH is a special
  * operation that only overwrites the pcm buffer without crossfading.
@@ -297,7 +295,6 @@ bool pcmbuf_crossfade_init(bool manual_skip)
 
 void pcmbuf_play_stop(void)
 {
-    mutex_lock(&pcmbuf_mutex);
     /** Prevent a very tiny pop from happening by muting audio
      *  until dma has been initialized. */
     pcm_mute(true);
@@ -320,7 +317,6 @@ void pcmbuf_play_stop(void)
     pcmbuf_set_boost_mode(false);
     pcmbuf_boost(false);
 
-    mutex_unlock(&pcmbuf_mutex);
 }
 
 int pcmbuf_used_descs(void) {
@@ -356,7 +352,6 @@ static void pcmbuf_init_pcmbuffers(void) {
  * ...CODECBUFFER|---------PCMBUF---------|GUARDBUF|DESCS| */
 void pcmbuf_init(size_t bufsize)
 {
-    mutex_init(&pcmbuf_mutex);
     pcmbuf_size = bufsize;
     pcmbuf_descsize = pcmbuf_descs()*sizeof(struct pcmbufdesc);
     audiobuffer = (char *)&audiobuf[(audiobufend - audiobuf) -
@@ -401,8 +396,6 @@ void pcmbuf_pause(bool pause) {
 /* Force playback. */
 void pcmbuf_play_start(void)
 {
-    mutex_lock(&pcmbuf_mutex);
-
     if (!pcm_is_playing() && pcmbuf_unplayed_bytes)
     {
         /** Prevent a very tiny pop from happening by muting audio
@@ -417,8 +410,6 @@ void pcmbuf_play_start(void)
         /* Now unmute the audio. */
         pcm_mute(false);
     }
-
-    mutex_unlock(&pcmbuf_mutex);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -426,8 +417,6 @@ void pcmbuf_play_start(void)
  */
 static void pcmbuf_flush_fillpos(void)
 {
-    mutex_lock(&pcmbuf_mutex);
-
     if (audiobuffer_fillpos) {
         /* Never use the last buffer descriptor */
         while (pcmbuf_write == pcmbuf_write_end) {
@@ -444,8 +433,6 @@ static void pcmbuf_flush_fillpos(void)
         }
         pcmbuf_add_chunk();
     }
-
-    mutex_unlock(&pcmbuf_mutex);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/apps/playback.c b/apps/playback.c
index 9f8fc5a71b..aa48dd9bae 100644
--- a/apps/playback.c
+++ b/apps/playback.c
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@
 static volatile bool audio_codec_loaded;
 static volatile bool voice_codec_loaded;
 static volatile bool playing;
+static volatile bool seeking;
 
 #define CODEC_VORBIS   "/.rockbox/codecs/vorbis.codec"
 #define CODEC_MPA_L3   "/.rockbox/codecs/mpa.codec"
@@ -102,7 +103,6 @@ enum {
     Q_AUDIO_TRACK_CHANGED,
     Q_AUDIO_DIR_NEXT,
     Q_AUDIO_DIR_PREV,
-    Q_AUDIO_SEAMLESS_SEEK,
     Q_AUDIO_POSTINIT,
 
     Q_CODEC_LOAD,
@@ -679,7 +679,12 @@ off_t codec_mp3_get_filepos_callback(int newtime)
 void codec_seek_complete_callback(void)
 {
     /* assume we're called from non-voice codec, as they shouldn't seek */
+    if (pcm_is_paused()) {
+        /* If this is not a seamless seek, clear the buffer */
+        pcmbuf_play_stop();
+    }
     ci.seek_time = 0;
+    seeking = false;
 }
 
 bool codec_seek_buffer_callback(size_t newpos)
@@ -1329,10 +1334,10 @@ static void audio_clear_track_entries(bool buffered_only)
 static void stop_codec_flush(void)
 {
     ci.stop_codec = true;
-    pcmbuf_play_stop();
+    pcmbuf_pause(true);
     while (audio_codec_loaded)
         yield();
-    pcmbuf_play_stop();
+    pcmbuf_pause(false);
 }
 
 static void audio_stop_playback(bool resume)
@@ -1343,7 +1348,6 @@ static void audio_stop_playback(bool resume)
     playing = false;
     filling = false;
     stop_codec_flush();
-    pcmbuf_pause(false);
     if (current_fd >= 0) {
         close(current_fd);
         current_fd = -1;
@@ -1768,11 +1772,11 @@ static void initiate_track_change(int peek_index)
 {
     /* Detect if disk is spinning or already loading. */
     if (filling || ci.reload_codec || !audio_codec_loaded) {
-        if (pcmbuf_is_crossfade_enabled())
+        if (pcmbuf_is_crossfade_enabled()) {
             pcmbuf_crossfade_init(true);
-        else
-            pcmbuf_play_stop();
-        ci.stop_codec = true;
+            ci.stop_codec = true;
+        } else
+            stop_codec_flush();
         queue_post(&audio_queue, Q_AUDIO_PLAY, 0);
     } else {
         new_track = peek_index;
@@ -1836,10 +1840,6 @@ void audio_thread(void)
                 play_pending = false;
                 last_tick = current_tick;
 
-                /* Do not start crossfading if audio is paused. */
-                if (pcm_is_paused())
-                    pcmbuf_play_stop();
-
 #ifdef CONFIG_TUNER
                 /* check if radio is playing */
                 if (get_radio_status() != FMRADIO_OFF) {
@@ -1848,6 +1848,7 @@ void audio_thread(void)
 #endif
 
                 logf("starting...");
+
                 playing = true;
                 ci.stop_codec = true;
                 ci.reload_codec = false;
@@ -1896,13 +1897,6 @@ void audio_thread(void)
                 break;
 
             case Q_AUDIO_FF_REWIND:
-                if (!playing)
-                    break ;
-                pcmbuf_play_stop();
-                ci.seek_time = (long)ev.data+1;
-                break ;
-
-            case Q_AUDIO_SEAMLESS_SEEK:
                 if (!playing)
                     break ;
                 ci.seek_time = (long)ev.data+1;
@@ -1911,6 +1905,7 @@ void audio_thread(void)
             case Q_AUDIO_DIR_NEXT:
                 logf("audio_dir_next");
                 playlist_end = false;
+                /* pcmbuf_beep may or may not be safe on audio thread */
                 if (global_settings.beep)
                     pcmbuf_beep(5000, 100, 2500*global_settings.beep);
                 initiate_dir_change(1);
@@ -1919,6 +1914,7 @@ void audio_thread(void)
             case Q_AUDIO_DIR_PREV:
                 logf("audio_dir_prev");
                 playlist_end = false;
+                /* pcmbuf_beep may or may not be safe on audio thread */
                 if (global_settings.beep)
                     pcmbuf_beep(5000, 100, 2500*global_settings.beep);
                 initiate_dir_change(-1);
@@ -2010,6 +2006,9 @@ void codec_thread(void)
 #endif
         }
 
+        if (ci.stop_codec && pcm_is_paused())
+            pcmbuf_play_stop();
+
         audio_codec_loaded = false;
 
         switch (ev.id) {
@@ -2191,7 +2190,6 @@ void audio_play(long offset)
     else
     {
         stop_codec_flush();
-        pcmbuf_play_stop();
     }
 
     queue_post(&audio_queue, Q_AUDIO_PLAY, (void *)offset);
@@ -2268,14 +2266,14 @@ void audio_prev_dir(void)
 
 void audio_ff_rewind(long newpos)
 {
-    logf("rewind: %d", newpos);
+    logf("ff/rewind: %d", newpos);
+    seeking = true;
     queue_post(&audio_queue, Q_AUDIO_FF_REWIND, (int *)newpos);
-}
-
-void audio_seamless_seek(long newpos)
-{
-    logf("seamless_seek: %d", newpos);
-    queue_post(&audio_queue, Q_AUDIO_SEAMLESS_SEEK, (int *)newpos);
+    /* This is a hack, the correct solution is to report back to
+     * the caller when the seek is complete. */
+    while (seeking) {
+        yield();
+    }
 }
 
 void audio_flush_and_reload_tracks(void)
diff --git a/firmware/export/audio.h b/firmware/export/audio.h
index 62dec73078..d1421ce9a3 100644
--- a/firmware/export/audio.h
+++ b/firmware/export/audio.h
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ void audio_next(void);
 void audio_prev(void);
 int audio_status(void);
 void audio_ff_rewind(long newtime);
-void audio_seamless_seek(long newtime);
 void audio_flush_and_reload_tracks(void);
 struct mp3entry* audio_current_track(void);
 struct mp3entry* audio_next_track(void);
diff --git a/firmware/pcm_playback.c b/firmware/pcm_playback.c
index d6dc41cdde..8210276c48 100644
--- a/firmware/pcm_playback.c
+++ b/firmware/pcm_playback.c
@@ -638,7 +638,7 @@ void pcm_play_pause(bool play)
             /* nothing yet */
 #endif
         }
-    }
+    } /* pcm_playing && needs_change */
 }
 
 bool pcm_is_playing(void) {