diff --git a/src/audio/pulseaudio/SDL_pulseaudio.c b/src/audio/pulseaudio/SDL_pulseaudio.c
index 94e5ef445..85dc8b597 100644
--- a/src/audio/pulseaudio/SDL_pulseaudio.c
+++ b/src/audio/pulseaudio/SDL_pulseaudio.c
@@ -865,7 +865,7 @@ static int SDLCALL HotplugThread(void *data)
     SDL_SetThreadPriority(SDL_THREAD_PRIORITY_LOW);
     PULSEAUDIO_pa_threaded_mainloop_lock(pulseaudio_threaded_mainloop);
     PULSEAUDIO_pa_context_set_subscribe_callback(pulseaudio_context, HotplugCallback, NULL);
-    WaitForPulseOperation(PULSEAUDIO_pa_context_subscribe(pulseaudio_context, PA_SUBSCRIPTION_MASK_SINK | PA_SUBSCRIPTION_MASK_SOURCE, NULL, NULL));
+    PULSEAUDIO_pa_operation_unref(PULSEAUDIO_pa_context_subscribe(pulseaudio_context, PA_SUBSCRIPTION_MASK_SINK | PA_SUBSCRIPTION_MASK_SOURCE, NULL, NULL));
     while (SDL_AtomicGet(&pulseaudio_hotplug_thread_active)) {
         PULSEAUDIO_pa_threaded_mainloop_wait(pulseaudio_threaded_mainloop);