diff --git a/apps/pcmbuf.c b/apps/pcmbuf.c
index 773e97cce0..b32cb4c429 100644
--- a/apps/pcmbuf.c
+++ b/apps/pcmbuf.c
@@ -580,6 +580,12 @@ static void init_buffer_state(void)
     chunk_transidx = INVALID_BUF_INDEX;
 }
 
+/* call prior to init to get bytes required */
+size_t pcmbuf_size_reqd(void)
+{
+    return get_next_required_pcmbuf_chunks() * PCMBUF_CHUNK_SIZE;
+}
+
 /* Initialize the PCM buffer. The structure looks like this:
  * ...|---------PCMBUF---------|GUARDBUF|DESCS| */
 size_t pcmbuf_init(void *bufend)
diff --git a/apps/pcmbuf.h b/apps/pcmbuf.h
index 33422bbee5..a9daed23cc 100644
--- a/apps/pcmbuf.h
+++ b/apps/pcmbuf.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ void *pcmbuf_request_buffer(int *count);
 void pcmbuf_write_complete(int count, unsigned long elapsed, off_t offset);
 
 /* Init */
+size_t pcmbuf_size_reqd(void);
 size_t pcmbuf_init(void *bufend);
 
 /* Playback */
diff --git a/apps/playback.c b/apps/playback.c
index 9fe6da6d0e..fb2b6eb1ef 100644
--- a/apps/playback.c
+++ b/apps/playback.c
@@ -1040,7 +1040,7 @@ static void audio_reset_buffer(void)
         core_free(audiobuf_handle);
         audiobuf_handle = 0;
     }
-    if (core_allocatable() < (1 << 10))
+    if (core_allocatable() < pcmbuf_size_reqd())
         talk_buffer_set_policy(TALK_BUFFER_LOOSE); /* back off voice buffer */
     audiobuf_handle = core_alloc_maximum(&filebuflen, &ops);