diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/AudioBackend.h b/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/AudioBackend.h
index e751ad6b6a..10454d342d 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/AudioBackend.h
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/AudioBackend.h
@@ -34,6 +34,12 @@ public:
 	virtual bool AddData(const void* src, u32 num_samples) = 0;
 
 
+	/*
+	 * This virtual method should be reimplemented if backend can fail to be initialized under non-error conditions
+	 * eg. when there is no audio devices attached
+	 */
+	virtual bool Initialized() const { return true; }
+
 	/*
 	 * Virtual methods - should be implemented depending on backend capabilities
 	 */
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/XAudio2/XAudio2Backend.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/XAudio2/XAudio2Backend.cpp
index 542235f259..5f9cad47b6 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/XAudio2/XAudio2Backend.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/XAudio2/XAudio2Backend.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ XAudio2Backend::XAudio2Backend()
 	if (FAILED(hr))
 	{
 		XAudio.error("XAudio2Create() failed(0x%08x)", (u32)hr);
-		Emu.Pause();
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -30,7 +29,7 @@ XAudio2Backend::XAudio2Backend()
 	if (FAILED(hr))
 	{
 		XAudio.error("CreateMasteringVoice() failed(0x%08x)", (u32)hr);
-		Emu.Pause();
+		return;
 	}
 
 	// All succeeded, "commit"
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/XAudio2/XAudio2Backend.h b/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/XAudio2/XAudio2Backend.h
index 2433884110..b5b1226112 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/XAudio2/XAudio2Backend.h
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/XAudio2/XAudio2Backend.h
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ public:
 	static const u32 capabilities = PLAY_PAUSE_FLUSH | IS_PLAYING | GET_NUM_ENQUEUED_SAMPLES | SET_FREQUENCY_RATIO;
 	virtual u32 GetCapabilities() const override { return capabilities;	};
 
+	virtual bool Initialized() const override { return m_xaudio2_instance != nullptr; }
+
 	virtual void Open(u32 /* num_buffers */) override;
 	virtual void Close() override;
 
diff --git a/rpcs3/main_application.cpp b/rpcs3/main_application.cpp
index a3a5ac977b..a327247742 100644
--- a/rpcs3/main_application.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/main_application.cpp
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@
 #include "Emu/RSX/VK/VKGSRender.h"
 #endif
 
+LOG_CHANNEL(sys_log, "SYS");
+
 /** Emu.Init() wrapper for user manager */
 bool main_application::InitializeEmulator(const std::string& user, bool force_init, bool show_gui)
 {
@@ -144,25 +146,34 @@ EmuCallbacks main_application::CreateCallbacks()
 
 	callbacks.get_audio = []() -> std::shared_ptr<AudioBackend>
 	{
+		std::shared_ptr<AudioBackend> result;
 		switch (audio_renderer type = g_cfg.audio.renderer)
 		{
-		case audio_renderer::null: return std::make_shared<NullAudioBackend>();
+		case audio_renderer::null: result = std::make_shared<NullAudioBackend>(); break;
 #ifdef _WIN32
-		case audio_renderer::xaudio: return std::make_shared<XAudio2Backend>();
+		case audio_renderer::xaudio: result = std::make_shared<XAudio2Backend>(); break;
 #endif
 #ifdef HAVE_ALSA
-		case audio_renderer::alsa: return std::make_shared<ALSABackend>();
+		case audio_renderer::alsa: result = std::make_shared<ALSABackend>(); break;
 #endif
 #ifdef HAVE_PULSE
-		case audio_renderer::pulse: return std::make_shared<PulseBackend>();
+		case audio_renderer::pulse: result = std::make_shared<PulseBackend>(); break;
 #endif
 
-		case audio_renderer::openal: return std::make_shared<OpenALBackend>();
+		case audio_renderer::openal: result = std::make_shared<OpenALBackend>(); break;
 #ifdef HAVE_FAUDIO
-		case audio_renderer::faudio: return std::make_shared<FAudioBackend>();
+		case audio_renderer::faudio: result = std::make_shared<FAudioBackend>(); break;
 #endif
 		default: fmt::throw_exception("Invalid audio renderer: %s" HERE, type);
 		}
+
+		if (!result->Initialized())
+		{
+			// Fall back to a null backend if something went wrong
+			sys_log.error("Audio renderer %s could not be initialized, using a Null renderer instead", result->GetName());
+			result = std::make_shared<NullAudioBackend>();
+		}
+		return result;
 	};
 
 	return callbacks;