diff --git a/src/sound.cpp b/src/sound.cpp
--- a/src/sound.cpp
+++ b/src/sound.cpp
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ static void OpenBankFile(const char *fil
 {
 	memset(_original_sounds, 0, sizeof(_original_sounds));
 
+	/* If there is no sound file (nosound set), don't load anything */
+	if (filename == NULL) return;
+
 	FioOpenFile(SOUND_SLOT, filename);
 	size_t pos = FioGetPos();
 	uint count = FioReadDword();
@@ -162,6 +165,9 @@ static void StartSound(SoundID sound_id,
 	const SoundEntry *sound = GetSound(sound_id);
 	if (sound == NULL) return;
 
+	/* Empty sound? */
+	if (sound->rate == 0) return;
+
 	MixerChannel *mc = MxAllocateChannel();
 	if (mc == NULL) return;