diff --git a/src/audio/pulseaudio/SDL_pulseaudio.c b/src/audio/pulseaudio/SDL_pulseaudio.c
index 2d3897546..b5479861a 100644
--- a/src/audio/pulseaudio/SDL_pulseaudio.c
+++ b/src/audio/pulseaudio/SDL_pulseaudio.c
@@ -205,6 +205,27 @@ load_pulseaudio_syms(void)
 }
 
 
+/* Check to see if we can connect to PulseAudio */
+static SDL_bool
+CheckPulseAudioAvailable()
+{
+    pa_simple *s;
+    pa_sample_spec ss;
+
+    ss.format = PA_SAMPLE_S16NE;
+    ss.channels = 1;
+    ss.rate = 22050;
+
+    s = PULSEAUDIO_pa_simple_new(NULL, "SDL", PA_STREAM_PLAYBACK, NULL,
+                                 "Test", &ss, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+    if (s) {
+        PULSEAUDIO_pa_simple_free(s);
+        return SDL_TRUE;
+    } else {
+        return SDL_FALSE;
+    }
+}
+
 /* This function waits until it is possible to write a full sound buffer */
 static void
 PULSEAUDIO_WaitDevice(_THIS)
@@ -476,7 +497,6 @@ PULSEAUDIO_Deinitialize(void)
     UnloadPulseAudioLibrary();
 }
 
-
 static int
 PULSEAUDIO_Init(SDL_AudioDriverImpl * impl)
 {
@@ -484,6 +504,10 @@ PULSEAUDIO_Init(SDL_AudioDriverImpl * impl)
         return 0;
     }
 
+    if (!CheckPulseAudioAvailable()) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
     /* Set the function pointers */
     impl->OpenDevice = PULSEAUDIO_OpenDevice;
     impl->PlayDevice = PULSEAUDIO_PlayDevice;