diff --git a/src/output/Control.cxx b/src/output/Control.cxx
index 6cdebeb41..e87f46113 100644
--- a/src/output/Control.cxx
+++ b/src/output/Control.cxx
@@ -38,8 +38,9 @@ static constexpr PeriodClock::Duration REOPEN_AFTER = std::chrono::seconds(10);
 
 struct notify audio_output_client_notify;
 
-AudioOutputControl::AudioOutputControl(AudioOutput *_output)
-	:output(_output),
+AudioOutputControl::AudioOutputControl(AudioOutput *_output,
+				       AudioOutputClient &_client)
+	:output(_output), client(_client),
 	 thread(BIND_THIS_METHOD(Task)),
 	 mutex(output->mutex)
 {
@@ -59,12 +60,6 @@ AudioOutputControl::GetName() const noexcept
 	return output->GetName();
 }
 
-AudioOutputClient &
-AudioOutputControl::GetClient() noexcept
-{
-	return *output->client;
-}
-
 Mixer *
 AudioOutputControl::GetMixer() const noexcept
 {
diff --git a/src/output/Control.hxx b/src/output/Control.hxx
index cf071e3ac..9ed26b536 100644
--- a/src/output/Control.hxx
+++ b/src/output/Control.hxx
@@ -50,6 +50,12 @@ class AudioOutputClient;
 class AudioOutputControl {
 	AudioOutput *output;
 
+	/**
+	 * The PlayerControl object which "owns" this output.  This
+	 * object is needed to signal command completion.
+	 */
+	AudioOutputClient &client;
+
 	/**
 	 * The error that occurred in the output thread.  It is
 	 * cleared whenever the output is opened successfully.
@@ -164,7 +170,7 @@ class AudioOutputControl {
 public:
 	Mutex &mutex;
 
-	explicit AudioOutputControl(AudioOutput *_output);
+	AudioOutputControl(AudioOutput *_output, AudioOutputClient &_client);
 
 #ifndef NDEBUG
 	~AudioOutputControl() {
@@ -185,7 +191,9 @@ public:
 	gcc_pure
 	const char *GetName() const noexcept;
 
-	AudioOutputClient &GetClient() noexcept;
+	AudioOutputClient &GetClient() noexcept {
+		return client;
+	}
 
 	gcc_pure
 	Mixer *GetMixer() const noexcept;
diff --git a/src/output/Init.cxx b/src/output/Init.cxx
index 128a8b4c2..b3ff68a1b 100644
--- a/src/output/Init.cxx
+++ b/src/output/Init.cxx
@@ -265,8 +265,7 @@ AudioOutput *
 audio_output_new(EventLoop &event_loop,
 		 const ReplayGainConfig &replay_gain_config,
 		 const ConfigBlock &block,
-		 MixerListener &mixer_listener,
-		 AudioOutputClient &client)
+		 MixerListener &mixer_listener)
 {
 	const AudioOutputPlugin *plugin;
 
@@ -302,6 +301,5 @@ audio_output_new(EventLoop &event_loop,
 		throw;
 	}
 
-	ao->client = &client;
 	return ao;
 }
diff --git a/src/output/Internal.hxx b/src/output/Internal.hxx
index 8166f00c8..842e16db7 100644
--- a/src/output/Internal.hxx
+++ b/src/output/Internal.hxx
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ class MusicPipe;
 class EventLoop;
 class Mixer;
 class MixerListener;
-class AudioOutputClient;
 struct MusicChunk;
 struct ConfigBlock;
 struct AudioOutputPlugin;
@@ -135,12 +134,6 @@ struct AudioOutput {
 	 */
 	mutable Mutex mutex;
 
-	/**
-	 * The PlayerControl object which "owns" this output.  This
-	 * object is needed to signal command completion.
-	 */
-	AudioOutputClient *client;
-
 	/**
 	 * Source of audio data.
 	 */
@@ -258,8 +251,7 @@ AudioOutput *
 audio_output_new(EventLoop &event_loop,
 		 const ReplayGainConfig &replay_gain_config,
 		 const ConfigBlock &block,
-		 MixerListener &mixer_listener,
-		 AudioOutputClient &client);
+		 MixerListener &mixer_listener);
 
 void
 audio_output_free(AudioOutput *ao) noexcept;
diff --git a/src/output/MultipleOutputs.cxx b/src/output/MultipleOutputs.cxx
index 986510f7f..0be03f14c 100644
--- a/src/output/MultipleOutputs.cxx
+++ b/src/output/MultipleOutputs.cxx
@@ -53,11 +53,10 @@ static AudioOutput *
 LoadOutput(EventLoop &event_loop,
 	   const ReplayGainConfig &replay_gain_config,
 	   MixerListener &mixer_listener,
-	   AudioOutputClient &client, const ConfigBlock &block)
+	   const ConfigBlock &block)
 try {
 	return audio_output_new(event_loop, replay_gain_config, block,
-				mixer_listener,
-				client);
+				mixer_listener);
 } catch (const std::runtime_error &e) {
 	if (block.line > 0)
 		std::throw_with_nested(FormatRuntimeError("Failed to configure output in line %i",
@@ -74,8 +73,8 @@ LoadOutputControl(EventLoop &event_loop,
 {
 	auto *output = LoadOutput(event_loop, replay_gain_config,
 				  mixer_listener,
-				  client, block);
-	auto *control = new AudioOutputControl(output);
+				  block);
+	auto *control = new AudioOutputControl(output, client);
 
 	try {
 		control->Configure(block);
diff --git a/src/output/Thread.cxx b/src/output/Thread.cxx
index c9530b7ee..918d94b63 100644
--- a/src/output/Thread.cxx
+++ b/src/output/Thread.cxx
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ AudioOutputControl::Play() noexcept
 			   give it a chance to refill the pipe before
 			   it runs empty */
 			const ScopeUnlock unlock(mutex);
-			output->client->ChunksConsumed();
+			client.ChunksConsumed();
 			n = 0;
 		}
 
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ AudioOutputControl::Play() noexcept
 	} while (FillSourceOrClose());
 
 	const ScopeUnlock unlock(mutex);
-	output->client->ChunksConsumed();
+	client.ChunksConsumed();
 
 	return true;
 }
diff --git a/test/run_output.cxx b/test/run_output.cxx
index ce926714b..ba772e6b2 100644
--- a/test/run_output.cxx
+++ b/test/run_output.cxx
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #include "output/Internal.hxx"
 #include "output/OutputPlugin.hxx"
-#include "output/Client.hxx"
 #include "config/Param.hxx"
 #include "config/ConfigGlobal.hxx"
 #include "config/ConfigOption.hxx"
@@ -43,16 +42,6 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 
-class DummyAudioOutputClient final : public AudioOutputClient {
-public:
-	/* virtual methods from AudioOutputClient */
-	void ChunksConsumed() override {
-	}
-
-	void ApplyEnabled() override {
-	}
-};
-
 const FilterPlugin *
 filter_plugin_by_name(gcc_unused const char *name) noexcept
 {
@@ -61,8 +50,7 @@ filter_plugin_by_name(gcc_unused const char *name) noexcept
 }
 
 static AudioOutput *
-load_audio_output(EventLoop &event_loop, AudioOutputClient &client,
-		  const char *name)
+load_audio_output(EventLoop &event_loop, const char *name)
 {
 	const auto *param = config_find_block(ConfigBlockOption::AUDIO_OUTPUT,
 					      "name", name);
@@ -71,8 +59,7 @@ load_audio_output(EventLoop &event_loop, AudioOutputClient &client,
 					 name);
 
 	return audio_output_new(event_loop, ReplayGainConfig(), *param,
-				*(MixerListener *)nullptr,
-				client);
+				*(MixerListener *)nullptr);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -140,9 +127,7 @@ try {
 
 	/* initialize the audio output */
 
-	DummyAudioOutputClient client;
-	AudioOutput *ao = load_audio_output(io_thread.GetEventLoop(), client,
-					    argv[2]);
+	AudioOutput *ao = load_audio_output(io_thread.GetEventLoop(), argv[2]);
 
 	/* parse the audio format */