diff --git a/src/audio/SDL_audio.c b/src/audio/SDL_audio.c
index 05e1ffac9..b96dae2d9 100644
--- a/src/audio/SDL_audio.c
+++ b/src/audio/SDL_audio.c
@@ -848,6 +848,7 @@ void SDL_QuitAudio(void)
 
 void SDL_AudioThreadFinalize(SDL_AudioDevice *device)
 {
+    UnrefPhysicalAudioDevice(device);
 }
 
 static void MixFloat32Audio(float *dst, const float *src, const int buffer_size)
@@ -863,6 +864,7 @@ static void MixFloat32Audio(float *dst, const float *src, const int buffer_size)
 void SDL_OutputAudioThreadSetup(SDL_AudioDevice *device)
 {
     SDL_assert(!device->iscapture);
+    RefPhysicalAudioDevice(device);  // unref'd when the audio thread terminates (ProvidesOwnCallbackThread implementations should call SDL_AudioThreadFinalize appropriately).
     current_audio.impl.ThreadInit(device);
 }
 
@@ -1012,6 +1014,7 @@ static int SDLCALL OutputAudioThread(void *devicep)  // thread entry point
 void SDL_CaptureAudioThreadSetup(SDL_AudioDevice *device)
 {
     SDL_assert(device->iscapture);
+    RefPhysicalAudioDevice(device);  // unref'd when the audio thread terminates (ProvidesOwnCallbackThread implementations should call SDL_AudioThreadFinalize appropriately).
     current_audio.impl.ThreadInit(device);
 }
 
@@ -1351,14 +1354,13 @@ void SDL_CloseAudioDevice(SDL_AudioDeviceID devid)
     if (logdev) {
         SDL_AudioDevice *device = logdev->physical_device;
         DestroyLogicalAudioDevice(logdev);
+        UnrefPhysicalAudioDevice(device);  // one reference for each logical device.
 
         // !!! FIXME: we _need_ to release this lock, but doing so can cause a race condition if someone opens a device while we're closing it.
         SDL_UnlockMutex(device->lock);  // can't hold the lock or the audio thread will deadlock while we WaitThread it. If not closing, we're done anyhow.
         if (device->logical_devices == NULL) {  // no more logical devices? Close the physical device, too.
             ClosePhysicalAudioDevice(device);
         }
-
-        UnrefPhysicalAudioDevice(device);  // one reference for each logical device.
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/audio/emscripten/SDL_emscriptenaudio.c b/src/audio/emscripten/SDL_emscriptenaudio.c
index 32afd20bc..368499227 100644
--- a/src/audio/emscripten/SDL_emscriptenaudio.c
+++ b/src/audio/emscripten/SDL_emscriptenaudio.c
@@ -181,6 +181,8 @@ static int EMSCRIPTENAUDIO_OpenDevice(SDL_AudioDevice *device)
         return SDL_OutOfMemory();
     }
 
+    RefPhysicalAudioDevice(device);  // CloseDevice will always unref this through SDL_AudioThreadFinalize, even if we failed to start the thread.
+
     // limit to native freq
     device->spec.freq = EM_ASM_INT({ return Module['SDL3'].audioContext.sampleRate; });
 
diff --git a/src/audio/haiku/SDL_haikuaudio.cc b/src/audio/haiku/SDL_haikuaudio.cc
index 5772fbe05..f52dae593 100644
--- a/src/audio/haiku/SDL_haikuaudio.cc
+++ b/src/audio/haiku/SDL_haikuaudio.cc
@@ -111,6 +111,8 @@ static int HAIKUAUDIO_OpenDevice(SDL_AudioDevice *device)
     }
     SDL_zerop(device->hidden);
 
+    RefPhysicalAudioDevice(device);  // CloseDevice will always unref this through SDL_AudioThreadFinalize, even if we failed to start the thread.
+
     // Parse the audio format and fill the Be raw audio format
     media_raw_audio_format format;
     SDL_zero(format);
diff --git a/src/audio/jack/SDL_jackaudio.c b/src/audio/jack/SDL_jackaudio.c
index 77e2f03fa..703122c8a 100644
--- a/src/audio/jack/SDL_jackaudio.c
+++ b/src/audio/jack/SDL_jackaudio.c
@@ -300,6 +300,8 @@ static int JACK_OpenDevice(SDL_AudioDevice *device)
         return SDL_OutOfMemory();
     }
 
+    RefPhysicalAudioDevice(device);  // CloseDevice will always unref this through SDL_AudioThreadFinalize, even if we failed to start the thread.
+
     client = JACK_jack_client_open(GetJackAppName(), JackNoStartServer, &status, NULL);
     device->hidden->client = client;
     if (client == NULL) {