diff --git a/src/audio_out.c b/src/audio_out.c
index 509b3276a9b97cf638a2b2d2f69ebc47e8a73668..b61ba10f699baaf9d69154b2bcc8a361256f3fe7 100644
--- a/src/audio_out.c
+++ b/src/audio_out.c
@@ -161,6 +161,9 @@ void ao_shutdown(void)
 	/* free the standard drivers */
 	if (driver_head->next) free(driver_head->next);
 	if (driver_head->next) free(driver_head);
+	
+	/* NULL out driver_head or ao_initialize won't work */
+	driver_head = NULL;
 }
 
 int ao_get_driver_id(const char *short_name)