diff --git a/src/libespeak-ng/fifo.c b/src/libespeak-ng/fifo.c
index 3f46e6ac..33177434 100644
--- a/src/libespeak-ng/fifo.c
+++ b/src/libespeak-ng/fifo.c
@@ -254,10 +254,6 @@ static espeak_ng_STATUS close_stream()
 			status = a_status;
 
 		if (a_stop_is_required) {
-			// stop the audio early, to be more responsive when using eSpeak NG
-			// for audio.
-			close_audio();
-
 			// acknowledge the stop request
 			if((a_status = pthread_mutex_lock(&my_mutex)) != ENS_OK)
 				return a_status;
diff --git a/src/libespeak-ng/speech.c b/src/libespeak-ng/speech.c
index f07bffb5..0612049f 100644
--- a/src/libespeak-ng/speech.c
+++ b/src/libespeak-ng/speech.c
@@ -81,15 +81,6 @@ int (*phoneme_callback)(const char *) = NULL;
 char path_home[N_PATH_HOME]; // this is the espeak-ng-data directory
 extern int saved_parameters[N_SPEECH_PARAM]; // Parameters saved on synthesis start
 
-void close_audio(void)
-{
-#ifdef HAVE_PCAUDIOLIB_AUDIO_H
-	if ((my_mode & ENOUTPUT_MODE_SPEAK_AUDIO) == ENOUTPUT_MODE_SPEAK_AUDIO) {
-		audio_object_close(my_audio);
-	}
-#endif
-}
-
 static int dispatch_audio(short *outbuf, int length, espeak_EVENT *event)
 {
 	int a_wave_can_be_played = 1;
diff --git a/src/libespeak-ng/speech.h b/src/libespeak-ng/speech.h
index 830d427a..b5a50d30 100644
--- a/src/libespeak-ng/speech.h
+++ b/src/libespeak-ng/speech.h
@@ -65,8 +65,6 @@ typedef struct {
 } MNEM_TAB;
 int LookupMnem(MNEM_TAB *table, const char *string);
 
-void close_audio(void);
-
 extern char path_home[N_PATH_HOME];    // this is the espeak-ng-data directory
 
 extern ESPEAK_NG_API void strncpy0(char *to, const char *from, int size);