diff --git a/apps/buffering.c b/apps/buffering.c
index dcc753e..0fe6e5e 100644
--- a/apps/buffering.c
+++ b/apps/buffering.c
@@ -513,6 +513,35 @@ fill_buffer     : Call buffer_handle for all handles that have data to buffer
 These functions are used by the buffering thread to manage buffer space.
 */
 
+void update_data_counters(void);
+
+static inline bool buffer_is_low(void)
+{
+    update_data_counters();
+    return data_counters.useful < BUFFERING_CRITICAL_LEVEL;
+}
+
+/* Yield to the codec thread for as long as possible if it is in need of data.
+   Return true if the caller should break to let the buffering thread process
+   new queue events */
+static bool yield_codec(void)
+{
+    yield();
+
+    if (!queue_empty(&buffering_queue))
+        return true;
+
+    while (pcmbuf_is_lowdata() && !buffer_is_low())
+    {
+        sleep(2);
+        trigger_cpu_boost();
+
+        if (!queue_empty(&buffering_queue))
+            return true;
+    }
+
+    return false;
+}
 
 /* Buffer data for the given handle.
    Return whether or not the buffering should continue explicitly.  */
@@ -596,20 +625,10 @@ static bool buffer_handle(int handle_id)
         h->available += rc;
         h->filerem -= rc;
 
-        yield();
-        /* If this is a large file, see if we need to breakor give the codec
+        /* If this is a large file, see if we need to break or give the codec
          * more time */
-        if (h->type==TYPE_PACKET_AUDIO) {
-            if (!queue_empty(&buffering_queue))
-                break;
-            if (pcmbuf_is_lowdata())
-            {
-                sleep(2);
-                trigger_cpu_boost();
-                if (!queue_empty(&buffering_queue))
-                    break;
-            }
-        }
+        if (h->type==TYPE_PACKET_AUDIO && yield_codec())
+            break;
     }
 
     if (h->filerem == 0) {