diff --git a/src/sound/snd_sb_dsp.c b/src/sound/snd_sb_dsp.c
index fa313376846..192684be782 100644
--- a/src/sound/snd_sb_dsp.c
+++ b/src/sound/snd_sb_dsp.c
@@ -358,6 +358,11 @@ sb_start_dma(sb_dsp_t *dsp, int dma8, int autoinit, uint8_t format, int len)
 {
     dsp->sb_pausetime = -1;
 
+    if (dsp->ess_reload_len) {
+        len = sb_ess_get_dma_len(dsp);
+        dsp->ess_reload_len = 0;
+    }
+
     if (dma8) {
         dsp->sb_8_length = dsp->sb_8_origlength = len;
         dsp->sb_8_format                        = format;
@@ -392,6 +397,11 @@ sb_start_dma(sb_dsp_t *dsp, int dma8, int autoinit, uint8_t format, int len)
 void
 sb_start_dma_i(sb_dsp_t *dsp, int dma8, int autoinit, uint8_t format, int len)
 {
+    if (dsp->ess_reload_len) {
+        len = sb_ess_get_dma_len(dsp);
+        dsp->ess_reload_len = 0;
+    }
+
     if (dma8) {
         dsp->sb_8_length = dsp->sb_8_origlength = len;
         dsp->sb_8_format                        = format;