diff --git i/audio/out/ao_pipewire.c w/audio/out/ao_pipewire.c
index 67942da83b..0190120fc0 100644
--- i/audio/out/ao_pipewire.c
+++ w/audio/out/ao_pipewire.c
@@ -199,8 +199,7 @@ static int init(struct ao *ao)
     uint8_t buffer[1024];
     struct spa_pod_builder b = SPA_POD_BUILDER_INIT(buffer, sizeof(buffer));
     const struct spa_pod *params[1];
-    char latency_str[64];
-    char samplerate_str[8];
+    struct pw_properties *props;
 
     enum spa_audio_format spa_format = af_fmt_to_pw(ao->format);
     if (spa_format == SPA_AUDIO_FORMAT_UNKNOWN) {
@@ -228,8 +227,6 @@ static int init(struct ao *ao)
     }
 
     ao->device_buffer = p->buffer_samples;
-    snprintf(latency_str, sizeof(latency_str), "%d/%d", ao->device_buffer, ao->samplerate);
-    snprintf(samplerate_str, sizeof(samplerate_str), "%d", ao->samplerate);
 
     pw_init(NULL, NULL);
 
@@ -239,27 +236,31 @@ static int init(struct ao *ao)
 
     p->stream = pw_stream_new_simple(
                     pw_thread_loop_get_loop(p->loop),
-                    "audio-src",
-                    pw_properties_new(
+                    "Playback Stream",
+                    props = pw_properties_new(
                         PW_KEY_MEDIA_TYPE, "Audio",
                         PW_KEY_MEDIA_CATEGORY, "Playback",
-                        PW_KEY_MEDIA_ROLE, "Music",
-                        PW_KEY_NODE_NAME, ao->client_name,
+                        PW_KEY_MEDIA_ROLE, "Movie",
                         PW_KEY_APP_NAME, ao->client_name,
                         PW_KEY_APP_ID, ao->client_name,
                         PW_KEY_APP_ICON_NAME, ao->client_name,
-                        PW_KEY_NODE_LATENCY, latency_str,
-                        PW_KEY_AUDIO_RATE, samplerate_str,
+                        PW_KEY_NODE_ALWAYS_PROCESS, "true",
                         NULL),
                     &stream_events,
                     ao);
     if (p->stream == NULL)
         goto error;
 
+    pw_properties_set(props, PW_KEY_NODE_NAME, ao->client_name);
+    pw_properties_set(props, PW_KEY_NODE_DESCRIPTION, ao->client_name);
+    pw_properties_setf(props, PW_KEY_NODE_LATENCY, "%u/%u", ao->device_buffer, ao->samplerate);
+    pw_properties_setf(props, PW_KEY_NODE_RATE, "1/%u", ao->samplerate);
+
     if (pw_stream_connect(p->stream,
                     PW_DIRECTION_OUTPUT,
                     PW_ID_ANY,
                     PW_STREAM_FLAG_AUTOCONNECT |
+                    PW_STREAM_FLAG_INACTIVE |
                     PW_STREAM_FLAG_MAP_BUFFERS |
                     PW_STREAM_FLAG_RT_PROCESS,
                     params, 1) < 0)