diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 619495013..f1b03f637 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ ver 0.15 - (200?/??/??)
 
 
 ver 0.14.2 (2009/??/??)
+* audio outputs:
+  - jack: allocate ring buffers before connecting
 
 
 ver 0.14.1 (2009/01/17)
diff --git a/src/output/jack_plugin.c b/src/output/jack_plugin.c
index c05f6a77d..d16eb0443 100644
--- a/src/output/jack_plugin.c
+++ b/src/output/jack_plugin.c
@@ -217,6 +217,9 @@ mpd_jack_connect(struct jack_data *jd, struct audio_format *audio_format)
 
 	jd->audio_format = audio_format;
 
+	jd->ringbuffer[0] = jack_ringbuffer_create(jd->ringbuffer_size);
+	jd->ringbuffer[1] = jack_ringbuffer_create(jd->ringbuffer_size);
+
 	if ((jd->client = jack_client_new(mpd_jack_name(jd))) == NULL) {
 		g_warning("jack server not running?");
 		return -1;
@@ -263,11 +266,6 @@ mpd_jack_connect(struct jack_data *jd, struct audio_format *audio_format)
 	if ( jd->output_ports[1] ) {
 		const char *name = mpd_jack_name(jd);
 
-		jd->ringbuffer[0] = jack_ringbuffer_create(jd->ringbuffer_size);
-		jd->ringbuffer[1] = jack_ringbuffer_create(jd->ringbuffer_size);
-		memset(jd->ringbuffer[0]->buf, 0, jd->ringbuffer[0]->size);
-		memset(jd->ringbuffer[1]->buf, 0, jd->ringbuffer[1]->size);
-
 		port_name = g_malloc(sizeof(port_name[0]) * (7 + strlen(name)));
 
 		sprintf(port_name, "%s:left", name);