diff --git a/media/libmediaplayerservice/MediaPlayerService.cpp b/media/libmediaplayerservice/MediaPlayerService.cpp
index bcfd83a..f0baf69 100644
--- a/media/libmediaplayerservice/MediaPlayerService.cpp
+++ b/media/libmediaplayerservice/MediaPlayerService.cpp
@@ -1894,8 +1894,13 @@
 void MediaPlayerService::AudioOutput::close()
 {
     ALOGV("close");
-    Mutex::Autolock lock(mLock);
-    close_l();
+    sp<AudioTrack> track;
+    {
+        Mutex::Autolock lock(mLock);
+        track = mTrack;
+        close_l(); // clears mTrack
+    }
+    // destruction of the track occurs outside of mutex.
 }
 
 void MediaPlayerService::AudioOutput::setVolume(float left, float right)