diff --git a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AlsaSoundStream.cpp b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AlsaSoundStream.cpp
index a2842b5fec..6345b7646b 100644
--- a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AlsaSoundStream.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AlsaSoundStream.cpp
@@ -78,10 +78,9 @@ void AlsaSound::SoundLoop()
   m_thread_status.store(ALSAThreadStatus::STOPPED);
 }
 
-void AlsaSound::Clear(bool muted)
+void AlsaSound::SetRunning(bool running)
 {
-  m_muted = muted;
-  m_thread_status.store(muted ? ALSAThreadStatus::PAUSED : ALSAThreadStatus::RUNNING);
+  m_thread_status.store(running ? ALSAThreadStatus::RUNNING : ALSAThreadStatus::PAUSED);
   cv.notify_one();  // Notify thread that status has changed
 }
 
diff --git a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AlsaSoundStream.h b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AlsaSoundStream.h
index 162713f84a..dfe0faf3fb 100644
--- a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AlsaSoundStream.h
+++ b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AlsaSoundStream.h
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ public:
   void SoundLoop() override;
   void Stop() override;
   void Update() override;
-  void Clear(bool) override;
+  void SetRunning(bool running) override;
 
   static bool isValid() { return true; }
 private:
diff --git a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AudioCommon.cpp b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AudioCommon.cpp
index 18aa75d1ae..77da1e4c70 100644
--- a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AudioCommon.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AudioCommon.cpp
@@ -159,10 +159,10 @@ void UpdateSoundStream()
   }
 }
 
-void ClearAudioBuffer(bool mute)
+void SetSoundStreamRunning(bool running)
 {
   if (g_sound_stream)
-    g_sound_stream->Clear(mute);
+    g_sound_stream->SetRunning(running);
 }
 
 void SendAIBuffer(const short* samples, unsigned int num_samples)
diff --git a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AudioCommon.h b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AudioCommon.h
index 6216d9e0a2..37f1e63eb8 100644
--- a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AudioCommon.h
+++ b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/AudioCommon.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ bool SupportsDPL2Decoder(const std::string& backend);
 bool SupportsLatencyControl(const std::string& backend);
 bool SupportsVolumeChanges(const std::string& backend);
 void UpdateSoundStream();
-void ClearAudioBuffer(bool mute);
+void SetSoundStreamRunning(bool running);
 void SendAIBuffer(const short* samples, unsigned int num_samples);
 void StartAudioDump();
 void StopAudioDump();
diff --git a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/NullSoundStream.cpp b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/NullSoundStream.cpp
index d55c61bbc3..98f8871a80 100644
--- a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/NullSoundStream.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/NullSoundStream.cpp
@@ -35,11 +35,6 @@ void NullSound::Update()
   m_mixer->Mix(m_realtime_buffer.data(), (unsigned int)num_samples_to_render);
 }
 
-void NullSound::Clear(bool mute)
-{
-  m_muted = mute;
-}
-
 void NullSound::Stop()
 {
 }
diff --git a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/NullSoundStream.h b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/NullSoundStream.h
index a3d0393e13..aec04cc096 100644
--- a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/NullSoundStream.h
+++ b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/NullSoundStream.h
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ public:
   void SoundLoop() override;
   void SetVolume(int volume) override;
   void Stop() override;
-  void Clear(bool mute) override;
   void Update() override;
 
   static bool isValid() { return true; }
diff --git a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/OpenALStream.cpp b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/OpenALStream.cpp
index 191452b7f3..ed295ff18c 100644
--- a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/OpenALStream.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/OpenALStream.cpp
@@ -161,17 +161,15 @@ void OpenALStream::Update()
   m_sound_sync_event.Set();
 }
 
-void OpenALStream::Clear(bool mute)
+void OpenALStream::SetRunning(bool running)
 {
-  m_muted = mute;
-
-  if (m_muted)
+  if (running)
   {
-    palSourceStop(m_source);
+    palSourcePlay(m_source);
   }
   else
   {
-    palSourcePlay(m_source);
+    palSourceStop(m_source);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/OpenALStream.h b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/OpenALStream.h
index 3b9364c571..69c7701de1 100644
--- a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/OpenALStream.h
+++ b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/OpenALStream.h
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ public:
   void SoundLoop() override;
   void SetVolume(int volume) override;
   void Stop() override;
-  void Clear(bool mute) override;
+  void SetRunning(bool running) override;
   void Update() override;
 
   static bool isValid();
diff --git a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/SoundStream.h b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/SoundStream.h
index 22328ef923..549a89178d 100644
--- a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/SoundStream.h
+++ b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/SoundStream.h
@@ -13,10 +13,9 @@ class SoundStream
 {
 protected:
   std::unique_ptr<Mixer> m_mixer;
-  bool m_muted;
 
 public:
-  SoundStream() : m_mixer(new Mixer(48000)), m_muted(false) {}
+  SoundStream() : m_mixer(new Mixer(48000)) {}
   virtual ~SoundStream() {}
   static bool isValid() { return false; }
   Mixer* GetMixer() const { return m_mixer.get(); }
@@ -25,6 +24,5 @@ public:
   virtual void SoundLoop() {}
   virtual void Stop() {}
   virtual void Update() {}
-  virtual void Clear(bool mute) { m_muted = mute; }
-  bool IsMuted() const { return m_muted; }
+  virtual void SetRunning(bool running) {}
 };
diff --git a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/XAudio2Stream.cpp b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/XAudio2Stream.cpp
index 827dfdf887..b87a0e0a06 100644
--- a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/XAudio2Stream.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/XAudio2Stream.cpp
@@ -210,16 +210,14 @@ void XAudio2::SetVolume(int volume)
     m_mastering_voice->SetVolume(m_volume);
 }
 
-void XAudio2::Clear(bool mute)
+void XAudio2::SetRunning(bool running)
 {
-  m_muted = mute;
-
   if (m_voice_context)
   {
-    if (m_muted)
-      m_voice_context->Stop();
-    else
+    if (running)
       m_voice_context->Play();
+    else
+      m_voice_context->Stop();
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/XAudio2Stream.h b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/XAudio2Stream.h
index 7fcb8f7b00..ce8e137097 100644
--- a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/XAudio2Stream.h
+++ b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/XAudio2Stream.h
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ public:
   bool Start() override;
   void Stop() override;
 
-  void Clear(bool mute) override;
+  void SetRunning(bool running) override;
   void SetVolume(int volume) override;
 
   static bool isValid() { return InitLibrary(); }
diff --git a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/XAudio2_7Stream.cpp b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/XAudio2_7Stream.cpp
index 938ce5109d..bff7c7dfa1 100644
--- a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/XAudio2_7Stream.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/XAudio2_7Stream.cpp
@@ -198,16 +198,14 @@ void XAudio2_7::SetVolume(int volume)
     m_mastering_voice->SetVolume(m_volume);
 }
 
-void XAudio2_7::Clear(bool mute)
+void XAudio2_7::SetRunning(bool running)
 {
-  m_muted = mute;
-
   if (m_voice_context)
   {
-    if (m_muted)
-      m_voice_context->Stop();
-    else
+    if (running)
       m_voice_context->Play();
+    else
+      m_voice_context->Stop();
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/XAudio2_7Stream.h b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/XAudio2_7Stream.h
index 7a7193ea16..82270003a7 100644
--- a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/XAudio2_7Stream.h
+++ b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/XAudio2_7Stream.h
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ public:
   bool Start() override;
   void Stop() override;
 
-  void Clear(bool mute) override;
+  void SetRunning(bool running) override;
   void SetVolume(int volume) override;
 
   static bool isValid() { return InitLibrary(); }
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/CPU.cpp b/Source/Core/Core/HW/CPU.cpp
index 93b768f6fd..b836a9ad7e 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/CPU.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/CPU.cpp
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ static void RunAdjacentSystems(bool running)
 {
   // NOTE: We're assuming these will not try to call Break or EnableStepping.
   Fifo::EmulatorState(running);
-  AudioCommon::ClearAudioBuffer(!running);
+  AudioCommon::SetSoundStreamRunning(running);
 }
 
 void Stop()