diff --git a/services/audioflinger/Threads.cpp b/services/audioflinger/Threads.cpp
index acbbe48..e06d2cd 100644
--- a/services/audioflinger/Threads.cpp
+++ b/services/audioflinger/Threads.cpp
@@ -2732,7 +2732,11 @@
             }
             // abort if start is rejected by audio policy manager
             if (status != NO_ERROR) {
-                return PERMISSION_DENIED;
+                // Do not replace the error if it is DEAD_OBJECT. When this happens, it indicates
+                // current playback thread is reopened, which may happen when clients set preferred
+                // mixer configuration. Returning DEAD_OBJECT will make the client restore track
+                // immediately.
+                return status == DEAD_OBJECT ? status : PERMISSION_DENIED;
             }
 #ifdef ADD_BATTERY_DATA
             // to track the speaker usage
diff --git a/services/audioflinger/Tracks.cpp b/services/audioflinger/Tracks.cpp
index 5d6caba..6493e2a 100644
--- a/services/audioflinger/Tracks.cpp
+++ b/services/audioflinger/Tracks.cpp
@@ -1116,10 +1116,10 @@
             mObservedUnderruns = playbackThread->getFastTrackUnderruns(mFastIndex);
         }
         status = playbackThread->addTrack_l(this);
-        if (status == INVALID_OPERATION || status == PERMISSION_DENIED) {
+        if (status == INVALID_OPERATION || status == PERMISSION_DENIED || status == DEAD_OBJECT) {
             triggerEvents(AudioSystem::SYNC_EVENT_PRESENTATION_COMPLETE);
             //  restore previous state if start was rejected by policy manager
-            if (status == PERMISSION_DENIED) {
+            if (status == PERMISSION_DENIED || status == DEAD_OBJECT) {
                 mState = state;
             }
         }