diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 48fa2401a..65fdd1002 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 ver 0.23.15 (not yet released)
 * decoder
   - ffmpeg: fix build failure with FFmpeg 6.1
+* output
+  - alsa: limit buffer time to 2 seconds
 
 ver 0.23.14 (2023/10/08)
 * decoder
diff --git a/src/input/plugins/AlsaInputPlugin.cxx b/src/input/plugins/AlsaInputPlugin.cxx
index ccf0b10d8..d76359833 100644
--- a/src/input/plugins/AlsaInputPlugin.cxx
+++ b/src/input/plugins/AlsaInputPlugin.cxx
@@ -369,9 +369,14 @@ AlsaInputStream::ConfigureCapture(AudioFormat audio_format)
 		 period_size_min, period_size_max,
 		 period_time_min, period_time_max);
 
-	/* choose the maximum possible buffer_size ... */
-	snd_pcm_hw_params_set_buffer_size(capture_handle, hw_params,
-					  buffer_size_max);
+	/* choose the maximum buffer_time up to limit of 2 seconds ... */
+	unsigned buffer_time = buffer_time_max;
+	if (buffer_time > 2000000U)
+		buffer_time = 2000000U;
+	int direction = -1;
+	if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_buffer_time_near(capture_handle,
+				hw_params, &buffer_time, &direction)) < 0)
+		throw Alsa::MakeError(err, "Cannot set buffer time");
 
 	/* ... and calculate the period_size to have four periods in
 	   one buffer; this way, we get woken up often enough to avoid
@@ -379,7 +384,7 @@ AlsaInputStream::ConfigureCapture(AudioFormat audio_format)
 	snd_pcm_uframes_t buffer_size;
 	if (snd_pcm_hw_params_get_buffer_size(hw_params, &buffer_size) == 0) {
 		snd_pcm_uframes_t period_size = buffer_size / 4;
-		int direction = -1;
+		direction = -1;
 		if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_period_size_near(capture_handle,
 		                             hw_params, &period_size, &direction)) < 0)
 			throw Alsa::MakeError(err, "Cannot set period size");