diff --git a/src/output/OutputPlugin.cxx b/src/output/OutputPlugin.cxx
index e90ba12a0..0f0b81ccf 100644
--- a/src/output/OutputPlugin.cxx
+++ b/src/output/OutputPlugin.cxx
@@ -63,12 +63,12 @@ ao_plugin_close(AudioOutput *ao)
 	ao->plugin.close(ao);
 }
 
-unsigned
+std::chrono::steady_clock::duration
 ao_plugin_delay(AudioOutput *ao)
 {
 	return ao->plugin.delay != nullptr
 		? ao->plugin.delay(ao)
-		: 0;
+		: std::chrono::steady_clock::duration::zero();
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/output/OutputPlugin.hxx b/src/output/OutputPlugin.hxx
index a079be366..b25ee5135 100644
--- a/src/output/OutputPlugin.hxx
+++ b/src/output/OutputPlugin.hxx
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 
 #include "Compiler.h"
 
+#include <chrono>
+
 #include <stddef.h>
 
 struct ConfigBlock;
@@ -97,9 +99,9 @@ struct AudioOutputPlugin {
 	 * instead of doing a sleep inside the plugin, because this
 	 * allows MPD to listen to commands meanwhile.
 	 *
-	 * @return the number of milliseconds to wait
+	 * @return the duration to wait
 	 */
-	unsigned (*delay)(AudioOutput *data);
+	std::chrono::steady_clock::duration (*delay)(AudioOutput *data);
 
 	/**
 	 * Display metadata for the next chunk.  Optional method,
@@ -179,7 +181,7 @@ void
 ao_plugin_close(AudioOutput *ao);
 
 gcc_pure
-unsigned
+std::chrono::steady_clock::duration
 ao_plugin_delay(AudioOutput *ao);
 
 void
diff --git a/src/output/OutputThread.cxx b/src/output/OutputThread.cxx
index 53d4ccab4..a5b57af5f 100644
--- a/src/output/OutputThread.cxx
+++ b/src/output/OutputThread.cxx
@@ -237,8 +237,8 @@ inline bool
 AudioOutput::WaitForDelay()
 {
 	while (true) {
-		unsigned delay = ao_plugin_delay(this);
-		if (delay == 0)
+		const auto delay = ao_plugin_delay(this);
+		if (delay <= std::chrono::steady_clock::duration::zero())
 			return true;
 
 		(void)cond.timed_wait(mutex, delay);
diff --git a/src/output/Wrapper.hxx b/src/output/Wrapper.hxx
index 69e389762..9af0f5b5f 100644
--- a/src/output/Wrapper.hxx
+++ b/src/output/Wrapper.hxx
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 
 #include "util/Cast.hxx"
 
+#include <chrono>
+
 struct ConfigBlock;
 
 template<class T>
@@ -61,7 +63,7 @@ struct AudioOutputWrapper {
 	}
 
 	gcc_pure
-	static unsigned Delay(AudioOutput *ao) {
+	static std::chrono::steady_clock::duration Delay(AudioOutput *ao) {
 		T &t = Cast(*ao);
 		return t.Delay();
 	}
diff --git a/src/output/plugins/FifoOutputPlugin.cxx b/src/output/plugins/FifoOutputPlugin.cxx
index f9ee3e5ae..24105441b 100644
--- a/src/output/plugins/FifoOutputPlugin.cxx
+++ b/src/output/plugins/FifoOutputPlugin.cxx
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ public:
 	void Open(AudioFormat &audio_format);
 	void Close();
 
-	unsigned Delay() const;
+	std::chrono::steady_clock::duration Delay() const;
 	size_t Play(const void *chunk, size_t size);
 	void Cancel();
 };
@@ -204,12 +204,12 @@ FifoOutput::Cancel()
 	}
 }
 
-inline unsigned
+inline std::chrono::steady_clock::duration
 FifoOutput::Delay() const
 {
 	return timer->IsStarted()
-		? timer->GetDelay()
-		: 0;
+		? std::chrono::milliseconds(timer->GetDelay())
+		: std::chrono::steady_clock::duration::zero();
 }
 
 inline size_t
diff --git a/src/output/plugins/HaikuOutputPlugin.cxx b/src/output/plugins/HaikuOutputPlugin.cxx
index 337a880d8..5ba82815d 100644
--- a/src/output/plugins/HaikuOutputPlugin.cxx
+++ b/src/output/plugins/HaikuOutputPlugin.cxx
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ public:
 	size_t Play(const void *chunk, size_t size);
 	void Cancel();
 
-	size_t Delay();
+	std::chrono::steady_clock::duration Delay();
 
 	void FillBuffer(void* _buffer, size_t size,
 		gcc_unused const media_raw_audio_format& _format);
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ HaikuOutput::Play(const void *chunk, size_t size)
 	return size;
 }
 
-inline size_t
+inline std::chrono::steady_clock::duration
 HaikuOutput::Delay()
 {
 	unsigned delay = buffer_filled ? 0 : buffer_delay;
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ HaikuOutput::Delay()
 	//return (delay / 2) ? 1 : 0;
 	(void)delay;
 
-	return 0;
+	return std::chrono::steady_clock::duration::zero();
 }
 
 inline void
diff --git a/src/output/plugins/JackOutputPlugin.cxx b/src/output/plugins/JackOutputPlugin.cxx
index 171bae2cc..c6a1f8d18 100644
--- a/src/output/plugins/JackOutputPlugin.cxx
+++ b/src/output/plugins/JackOutputPlugin.cxx
@@ -128,10 +128,10 @@ struct JackOutput {
 	 */
 	size_t WriteSamples(const float *src, size_t n_frames);
 
-	unsigned Delay() const {
+	std::chrono::steady_clock::duration Delay() const {
 		return base.pause && pause && !shutdown
-			? 1000
-			: 0;
+			? std::chrono::seconds(1)
+			: std::chrono::steady_clock::duration::zero();
 	}
 
 	size_t Play(const void *chunk, size_t size);
diff --git a/src/output/plugins/NullOutputPlugin.cxx b/src/output/plugins/NullOutputPlugin.cxx
index 650910e68..b2b3ec951 100644
--- a/src/output/plugins/NullOutputPlugin.cxx
+++ b/src/output/plugins/NullOutputPlugin.cxx
@@ -49,10 +49,10 @@ public:
 			delete timer;
 	}
 
-	unsigned Delay() const {
+	std::chrono::steady_clock::duration Delay() const {
 		return sync && timer->IsStarted()
-			? timer->GetDelay()
-			: 0;
+			? std::chrono::milliseconds(timer->GetDelay())
+			: std::chrono::steady_clock::duration::zero();
 	}
 
 	size_t Play(gcc_unused const void *chunk, size_t size) {
diff --git a/src/output/plugins/OSXOutputPlugin.cxx b/src/output/plugins/OSXOutputPlugin.cxx
index 2d357635a..232a10b8c 100644
--- a/src/output/plugins/OSXOutputPlugin.cxx
+++ b/src/output/plugins/OSXOutputPlugin.cxx
@@ -669,11 +669,13 @@ osx_output_play(AudioOutput *ao, const void *chunk, size_t size)
 	return od->ring_buffer->push((uint8_t *)chunk, size);
 }
 
-static unsigned
+static std::chrono::steady_clock::duration
 osx_output_delay(AudioOutput *ao)
 {
 	OSXOutput *od = (OSXOutput *)ao;
-	return od->ring_buffer->write_available() ? 0 : 25;
+	return od->ring_buffer->write_available()
+		? std::chrono::steady_clock::duration::zero()
+		: std::chrono::milliseconds(25);
 }
 
 const struct AudioOutputPlugin osx_output_plugin = {
diff --git a/src/output/plugins/OpenALOutputPlugin.cxx b/src/output/plugins/OpenALOutputPlugin.cxx
index 0db98a2cb..7b72adcf2 100644
--- a/src/output/plugins/OpenALOutputPlugin.cxx
+++ b/src/output/plugins/OpenALOutputPlugin.cxx
@@ -58,13 +58,13 @@ class OpenALOutput {
 	void Close();
 
 	gcc_pure
-	unsigned Delay() const {
+	std::chrono::steady_clock::duration Delay() const {
 		return filled < NUM_BUFFERS || HasProcessed()
-			? 0
+			? std::chrono::steady_clock::duration::zero()
 			/* we don't know exactly how long we must wait
 			   for the next buffer to finish, so this is a
 			   random guess: */
-			: 50;
+			: std::chrono::milliseconds(50);
 	}
 
 	size_t Play(const void *chunk, size_t size);
diff --git a/src/output/plugins/PulseOutputPlugin.cxx b/src/output/plugins/PulseOutputPlugin.cxx
index f71e54a12..1ec277785 100644
--- a/src/output/plugins/PulseOutputPlugin.cxx
+++ b/src/output/plugins/PulseOutputPlugin.cxx
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ public:
 	void Open(AudioFormat &audio_format);
 	void Close();
 
-	unsigned Delay();
+	std::chrono::steady_clock::duration Delay();
 	size_t Play(const void *chunk, size_t size);
 	void Cancel();
 	bool Pause();
@@ -740,16 +740,16 @@ PulseOutput::StreamPause(bool pause)
 				     "pa_stream_cork() has failed");
 }
 
-inline unsigned
+inline std::chrono::steady_clock::duration
 PulseOutput::Delay()
 {
 	Pulse::LockGuard lock(mainloop);
 
-	unsigned result = 0;
+	auto result = std::chrono::steady_clock::duration::zero();
 	if (base.pause && pa_stream_is_corked(stream) &&
 	    pa_stream_get_state(stream) == PA_STREAM_READY)
 		/* idle while paused */
-		result = 1000;
+		result = std::chrono::seconds(1);
 
 	return result;
 }
diff --git a/src/output/plugins/ShoutOutputPlugin.cxx b/src/output/plugins/ShoutOutputPlugin.cxx
index 2bad712ad..80c54b351 100644
--- a/src/output/plugins/ShoutOutputPlugin.cxx
+++ b/src/output/plugins/ShoutOutputPlugin.cxx
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ struct ShoutOutput final {
 	void Open(AudioFormat &audio_format);
 	void Close();
 
-	unsigned Delay() const;
+	std::chrono::steady_clock::duration Delay() const;
 	void SendTag(const Tag &tag);
 	size_t Play(const void *chunk, size_t size);
 	void Cancel();
@@ -360,14 +360,14 @@ ShoutOutput::Open(AudioFormat &audio_format)
 	}
 }
 
-unsigned
+std::chrono::steady_clock::duration
 ShoutOutput::Delay() const
 {
 	int delay = shout_delay(shout_conn);
 	if (delay < 0)
 		delay = 0;
 
-	return delay;
+	return std::chrono::milliseconds(delay);
 }
 
 size_t
diff --git a/src/output/plugins/SndioOutputPlugin.cxx b/src/output/plugins/SndioOutputPlugin.cxx
index 8af2d223b..f9a3d1b66 100644
--- a/src/output/plugins/SndioOutputPlugin.cxx
+++ b/src/output/plugins/SndioOutputPlugin.cxx
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ public:
 
 	void Open(AudioFormat &audio_format);
 	void Close();
-	unsigned Delay() const;
 	size_t Play(const void *chunk, size_t size);
 	void Cancel();
 };
diff --git a/src/output/plugins/httpd/HttpdInternal.hxx b/src/output/plugins/httpd/HttpdInternal.hxx
index 864720917..74363110d 100644
--- a/src/output/plugins/httpd/HttpdInternal.hxx
+++ b/src/output/plugins/httpd/HttpdInternal.hxx
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ public:
 	void SendHeader(HttpdClient &client) const;
 
 	gcc_pure
-	unsigned Delay() const;
+	std::chrono::steady_clock::duration Delay() const;
 
 	/**
 	 * Reads data from the encoder (as much as available) and
diff --git a/src/output/plugins/httpd/HttpdOutputPlugin.cxx b/src/output/plugins/httpd/HttpdOutputPlugin.cxx
index fdd4ba072..8d9c3112e 100644
--- a/src/output/plugins/httpd/HttpdOutputPlugin.cxx
+++ b/src/output/plugins/httpd/HttpdOutputPlugin.cxx
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ HttpdOutput::SendHeader(HttpdClient &client) const
 		client.PushPage(header);
 }
 
-inline unsigned
+inline std::chrono::steady_clock::duration
 HttpdOutput::Delay() const
 {
 	if (!LockHasClients() && base.pause) {
@@ -357,15 +357,15 @@ HttpdOutput::Delay() const
 		/* some arbitrary delay that is long enough to avoid
 		   consuming too much CPU, and short enough to notice
 		   new clients quickly enough */
-		return 1000;
+		return std::chrono::seconds(1);
 	}
 
 	return timer->IsStarted()
-		? timer->GetDelay()
-		: 0;
+		? std::chrono::milliseconds(timer->GetDelay())
+		: std::chrono::steady_clock::duration::zero();
 }
 
-static unsigned
+static std::chrono::steady_clock::duration
 httpd_output_delay(AudioOutput *ao)
 {
 	HttpdOutput *httpd = HttpdOutput::Cast(ao);
diff --git a/src/output/plugins/sles/SlesOutputPlugin.cxx b/src/output/plugins/sles/SlesOutputPlugin.cxx
index 01264aaa6..274af1864 100644
--- a/src/output/plugins/sles/SlesOutputPlugin.cxx
+++ b/src/output/plugins/sles/SlesOutputPlugin.cxx
@@ -96,8 +96,10 @@ public:
 	void Open(AudioFormat &audio_format);
 	void Close();
 
-	unsigned Delay() {
-		return pause && !cancel ? 100 : 0;
+	std::chrono::steady_clock::duration Delay() {
+		return pause && !cancel
+			? std::chrono::milliseconds(100)
+			: std::chrono::steady_clock::duration::zero();
 	}
 
 	size_t Play(const void *chunk, size_t size);