diff --git a/media/libmedia/IEffect.cpp b/media/libmedia/IEffect.cpp
index 761b243..faf5795 100644
--- a/media/libmedia/IEffect.cpp
+++ b/media/libmedia/IEffect.cpp
@@ -85,13 +85,15 @@
         data.writeInt32(size);
 
         status_t status = remote()->transact(COMMAND, data, &reply);
+        if (status == NO_ERROR) {
+            status = reply.readInt32();
+        }
         if (status != NO_ERROR) {
             if (pReplySize != NULL)
                 *pReplySize = 0;
             return status;
         }
 
-        status = reply.readInt32();
         size = reply.readInt32();
         if (size != 0 && pReplyData != NULL && pReplySize != NULL) {
             reply.read(pReplyData, size);
@@ -155,6 +157,10 @@
             char *cmd = NULL;
             if (cmdSize) {
                 cmd = (char *)calloc(cmdSize, 1);
+                if (cmd == NULL) {
+                    reply->writeInt32(NO_MEMORY);
+                    return NO_ERROR;
+                }
                 data.read(cmd, cmdSize);
             }
             uint32_t replySize = data.readInt32();
@@ -162,15 +168,22 @@
             char *resp = NULL;
             if (replySize) {
                 resp = (char *)calloc(replySize, 1);
+                if (resp == NULL) {
+                    free(cmd);
+                    reply->writeInt32(NO_MEMORY);
+                    return NO_ERROR;
+                }
             }
             status_t status = command(cmdCode, cmdSize, cmd, &replySz, resp);
             reply->writeInt32(status);
-            if (replySz < replySize) {
-                replySize = replySz;
-            }
-            reply->writeInt32(replySize);
-            if (replySize) {
-                reply->write(resp, replySize);
+            if (status == NO_ERROR) {
+                if (replySz < replySize) {
+                    replySize = replySz;
+                }
+                reply->writeInt32(replySize);
+                if (replySize) {
+                    reply->write(resp, replySize);
+                }
             }
             if (cmd) {
                 free(cmd);
diff --git a/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayerRenderer.cpp b/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayerRenderer.cpp
index ab7005d..5532ed9 100644
--- a/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayerRenderer.cpp
+++ b/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayerRenderer.cpp
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@
       mNotifyCompleteVideo(false),
       mSyncQueues(false),
       mPaused(false),
+      mPauseDrainAudioAllowedUs(0),
       mVideoSampleReceived(false),
       mVideoRenderingStarted(false),
       mVideoRenderingStartGeneration(0),
@@ -645,6 +646,14 @@
         return;
     }
 
+    // FIXME: if paused, wait until AudioTrack stop() is complete before delivering data.
+    if (mPaused) {
+        const int64_t diffUs = mPauseDrainAudioAllowedUs - ALooper::GetNowUs();
+        if (diffUs > delayUs) {
+            delayUs = diffUs;
+        }
+    }
+
     mDrainAudioQueuePending = true;
     sp<AMessage> msg = new AMessage(kWhatDrainAudioQueue, this);
     msg->setInt32("drainGeneration", mAudioDrainGeneration);
@@ -1371,8 +1380,16 @@
             mAudioSink->flush();
             // Call stop() to signal to the AudioSink to completely fill the
             // internal buffer before resuming playback.
+            // FIXME: this is ignored after flush().
             mAudioSink->stop();
-            if (!mPaused) {
+            if (mPaused) {
+                // Race condition: if renderer is paused and audio sink is stopped,
+                // we need to make sure that the audio track buffer fully drains
+                // before delivering data.
+                // FIXME: remove this if we can detect if stop() is complete.
+                const int delayUs = 2 * 50 * 1000; // (2 full mixer thread cycles at 50ms)
+                mPauseDrainAudioAllowedUs = ALooper::GetNowUs() + delayUs;
+            } else {
                 mAudioSink->start();
             }
             mNumFramesWritten = 0;
diff --git a/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayerRenderer.h b/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayerRenderer.h
index 955f58a..de5f9a9 100644
--- a/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayerRenderer.h
+++ b/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayerRenderer.h
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@
 
     // modified on only renderer's thread.
     bool mPaused;
+    int64_t mPauseDrainAudioAllowedUs; // time when we can drain/deliver audio in pause mode.
 
     bool mVideoSampleReceived;
     bool mVideoRenderingStarted;