diff --git a/src/xenia/apu/alsa/alsa_audio_driver.cc b/src/xenia/apu/alsa/alsa_audio_driver.cc
index 700318fdf..a38477b9c 100644
--- a/src/xenia/apu/alsa/alsa_audio_driver.cc
+++ b/src/xenia/apu/alsa/alsa_audio_driver.cc
@@ -336,8 +336,30 @@ void ALSAAudioDriver::WorkerThread() {
     size_t current_write = write_index_.load(std::memory_order_acquire);
 
     if (current_read == current_write) {
-      // No data available, sleep and try again
-      std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(5));
+      // No guest audio available. During long guest stalls (e.g. a mission
+      // "Preparing for Sortie" load) the game stops submitting frames; if we
+      // merely sleep, ALSA drains its small buffer, XRUNs, and playback never
+      // recovers (the game's audio is silent for the rest of the session).
+      // Keep the PCM alive by topping it up with silence whenever the queued
+      // audio runs low, so real audio resumes seamlessly once the stall ends.
+      snd_pcm_sframes_t avail = snd_pcm_avail_update(pcm_handle_);
+      if (avail < 0) {
+        if (!RecoverFromUnderrun(avail)) {
+          running_ = false;
+        }
+        continue;
+      }
+      snd_pcm_uframes_t queued =
+          (buffer_size_ > (snd_pcm_uframes_t)avail) ? buffer_size_ - avail : 0;
+      if (queued < period_size_ * 2) {
+        snd_pcm_sframes_t w =
+            snd_pcm_writei(pcm_handle_, silence.get(), period_size_);
+        if (w < 0) {
+          RecoverFromUnderrun(w);
+        }
+      } else {
+        std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(2));
+      }
       continue;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/xenia/kernel/xconfig.cc b/src/xenia/kernel/xconfig.cc
index 57cc50f95..344feba0f 100644
--- a/src/xenia/kernel/xconfig.cc
+++ b/src/xenia/kernel/xconfig.cc
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 #include "xenia/kernel/xconfig.h"
 
+#include "xenia/base/cvar.h"
 #include "xenia/base/logging.h"
 
 #include "xenia/base/filesystem.h"
@@ -19,6 +20,17 @@
 
 #include <ranges>
 
+// Speaker configuration reported to the guest (XCONFIG_USER_AUDIO_FLAGS).
+// Default = 0 (Digital Stereo): the Linux/ALSA APU driver's 5.1 (6-channel)
+// path yields silence in some titles (e.g. Project Sylpheed missions), while
+// stereo output works, so stereo is the safe default. Set to 0x00010001 for
+// Dolby Digital + Pro Logic surround.
+DEFINE_uint32(guest_audio_flags, 0,
+              "Speaker config reported to the guest (XCONFIG_USER_AUDIO_FLAGS): "
+              "0 = Digital Stereo (safe on Linux/ALSA), 0x00010001 = Dolby "
+              "Digital + Pro Logic surround.",
+              "APU");
+
 namespace xe {
 namespace kernel {
 
@@ -94,7 +106,7 @@ void XConfig::SetDefaults() {
   xconfig_data_.user.language = static_cast<uint32_t>(XLanguage::kEnglish);
   xconfig_data_.user.country =
       static_cast<uint8_t>(XOnlineCountry::kUnitedStates);
-  xconfig_data_.user.audio_flags = DolbyDigital | DolbyProLogic;
+  xconfig_data_.user.audio_flags = cvars::guest_audio_flags;
   xconfig_data_.user.av_pack_hdmi_sz = XHDTVResolution.at(1).to_host();
   xconfig_data_.user.av_pack_component_sz = XHDTVResolution.at(1).to_host();
   xconfig_data_.user.av_pack_vga_sz = XVGAResolution.at(3).to_host();