diff --git a/audio.cpp b/audio.cpp
index 2bf0a08e..5a824de1 100644
--- a/audio.cpp
+++ b/audio.cpp
@@ -62,12 +62,13 @@ openal_buffer::openal_buffer( std::string const &Filename ) :
 		buf[i] = val;
 	}
 
-	id = 0;
 	alGenBuffers(1, &id);
-	if (!id)
-		throw std::runtime_error("sound: cannot generate buffer");
-
-	alBufferData(id, AL_FORMAT_MONO16, buf, si.frames * 2, rate);
+	if (id != null_resource && alIsBuffer(id)) {
+		alBufferData(id, AL_FORMAT_MONO16, buf, si.frames * 2, rate);
+	}
+	else {
+		ErrorLog("sound: failed to create AL buffer");
+	}
 
 	delete[] buf;
 	delete[] fbuf;