diff --git a/system/hardware/base.py b/system/hardware/base.py
index 31df1babe0f21b..16ed9621c17c1a 100644
--- a/system/hardware/base.py
+++ b/system/hardware/base.py
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ def get_device_type(self):
   def get_sound_card_online(self):
     pass
 
+  @abstractmethod
+  def is_sound_playing(self):
+    pass
+
   @abstractmethod
   def get_imei(self, slot) -> str:
     pass
diff --git a/system/hardware/pc/hardware.py b/system/hardware/pc/hardware.py
index 564f9e483add9d..2c83eb35f49f38 100644
--- a/system/hardware/pc/hardware.py
+++ b/system/hardware/pc/hardware.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import random
+import subprocess
 
 from cereal import log
 from system.hardware.base import HardwareBase, ThermalConfig
@@ -17,6 +18,9 @@ def get_device_type(self):
   def get_sound_card_online(self):
     return True
 
+  def is_sound_playing(self):
+    return "RUNNING" in subprocess.check_output(["pactl", "list", "short", "sinks"]).decode('utf8')
+
   def reboot(self, reason=None):
     print("REBOOT!")
 
diff --git a/system/hardware/tici/hardware.py b/system/hardware/tici/hardware.py
index e2fd20c1be58ab..98252787bdeea3 100644
--- a/system/hardware/tici/hardware.py
+++ b/system/hardware/tici/hardware.py
@@ -96,6 +96,9 @@ def get_sound_card_online(self):
     return (os.path.isfile('/proc/asound/card0/state') and
             open('/proc/asound/card0/state').read().strip() == 'ONLINE')
 
+  def is_sound_playing(self):
+    return "RUNNING" in subprocess.check_output(["pactl", "list", "short", "sinks"]).decode('utf8')
+
   def reboot(self, reason=None):
     subprocess.check_output(["sudo", "reboot"])
 
diff --git a/system/micd.py b/system/micd.py
index d2a5a2849f2b3a..27b6cb5f19a9da 100755
--- a/system/micd.py
+++ b/system/micd.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 from cereal import messaging
 from common.filter_simple import FirstOrderFilter
 from common.realtime import Ratekeeper
+from system.hardware import HARDWARE
 from system.swaglog import cloudlog
 
 RATE = 10
@@ -27,7 +28,8 @@ def update(self):
       # https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/sound-pressure-d_711.html
       sound_pressure = np.sqrt(np.mean(self.measurements ** 2))  # RMS of amplitudes
       sound_pressure_level = 20 * np.log10(sound_pressure / REFERENCE_SPL) if sound_pressure > 0 else 0  # dB
-      self.spl_filter.update(sound_pressure_level)
+      if not HARDWARE.is_sound_playing():
+        self.spl_filter.update(sound_pressure_level)
     else:
       sound_pressure = 0
       sound_pressure_level = 0