diff --git a/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayer.cpp b/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayer.cpp
index 5270efc..53eec91 100644
--- a/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayer.cpp
+++ b/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayer.cpp
@@ -1048,9 +1048,9 @@
             } else {
                 ALOGW("resume called when source is gone or not set");
             }
-            // |mAudioDecoder| may have been released due to the pause timeout, so try to re-create
-            // it if needed.
-            if (mFlushingAudio != SHUT_DOWN) {
+            // |mAudioDecoder| may have been released due to the pause timeout, so re-create it if
+            // needed.
+            if (audioDecoderStillNeeded() && mAudioDecoder == NULL) {
                 instantiateDecoder(true /* audio */, &mAudioDecoder);
             }
             if (mRenderer != NULL) {
@@ -1079,6 +1079,11 @@
     }
 }
 
+bool NuPlayer::audioDecoderStillNeeded() {
+    // Audio decoder is no longer needed if it's in shut/shutting down status.
+    return ((mFlushingAudio != SHUT_DOWN) && (mFlushingAudio != SHUTTING_DOWN_DECODER));
+}
+
 void NuPlayer::finishFlushIfPossible() {
     if (mFlushingAudio != NONE && mFlushingAudio != FLUSHED
             && mFlushingAudio != SHUT_DOWN) {
diff --git a/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayer.h b/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayer.h
index 8fa7269..8157733 100644
--- a/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayer.h
+++ b/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayer.h
@@ -203,6 +203,8 @@
 
     void finishFlushIfPossible();
 
+    bool audioDecoderStillNeeded();
+
     void flushDecoder(
             bool audio, bool needShutdown, const sp<AMessage> &newFormat = NULL);
     void updateDecoderFormatWithoutFlush(bool audio, const sp<AMessage> &format);