diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 805e19819..65c5def28 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ver 0.15.14 (2010/??/??)
-
+* output_thread: fix assertion failure due to race condition in OPEN
 
 ver 0.15.13 (2010/10/10)
 * output_thread: fix race condition after CANCEL command
diff --git a/src/output_thread.c b/src/output_thread.c
index b97694169..035cf99c1 100644
--- a/src/output_thread.c
+++ b/src/output_thread.c
@@ -197,10 +197,18 @@ static gpointer audio_output_task(gpointer arg)
 
 		case AO_COMMAND_OPEN:
 			assert(!ao->open);
-			assert(ao->fail_timer == NULL);
 			assert(ao->pipe != NULL);
 			assert(ao->chunk == NULL);
 
+			if (ao->fail_timer != NULL) {
+				/* this can only happen when this
+				   output thread fails while
+				   audio_output_open() is run in the
+				   player thread */
+				g_timer_destroy(ao->fail_timer);
+				ao->fail_timer = NULL;
+			}
+
 			error = NULL;
 			ret = ao_plugin_open(ao->plugin, ao->data,
 					     &ao->out_audio_format,