diff --git a/src/d_clisrv.c b/src/d_clisrv.c
index 33e9dceaa..def543d63 100644
--- a/src/d_clisrv.c
+++ b/src/d_clisrv.c
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ shouldsign_t ShouldSignChallenge(uint8_t *message)
 	if ((max(now, then) - min(now, then)) > 60*15)
 		return SIGN_BADTIME;
 
-	//  ____ _____ ___  ____  _ 
+	//  ____ _____ ___  ____  _
 	// / ___|_   _/ _ \|  _ \| |
 	// \___ \ | || | | | |_) | |
 	//  ___) || || |_| |  __/|_|
@@ -2436,6 +2436,11 @@ static void CL_ConnectToServer(void)
 
 	joinedIP[0] = '\0';	// And empty this for good measure regardless of whether or not we actually used it.
 
+	// Enable sound input/microphone in netgames, activating the microphone device.
+	if (netgame)
+	{
+		S_SoundInputSetEnabled(true);
+	}
 }
 
 static void Command_connect(void)
@@ -2502,6 +2507,8 @@ static void Command_connect(void)
 			{
 				CONS_Alert(CONS_ERROR, M_GetText("There is no server identification with this network driver\n"));
 				D_CloseConnection();
+
+				S_SoundInputSetEnabled(false);
 				return;
 			}
 		}
@@ -3659,6 +3666,7 @@ void D_QuitNetGame(void)
 	K_ClearClientPowerLevels();
 	G_ObliterateParties();
 	K_ResetMidVote();
+	S_SoundInputSetEnabled(false);
 
 	DEBFILE("===========================================================================\n"
 	        "                         Log finish\n"
@@ -7376,9 +7384,6 @@ void NetVoiceUpdate(void)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	// This necessarily runs every frame, not every tic
-	S_SoundInputSetEnabled(true);
-
 	UINT32 bytes_dequed = 0;
 	do
 	{
diff --git a/src/menus/options-voice.cpp b/src/menus/options-voice.cpp
index 8f02fad5f..7f3a8ba00 100644
--- a/src/menus/options-voice.cpp
+++ b/src/menus/options-voice.cpp
@@ -72,6 +72,24 @@ static boolean input_routine(INT32)
 	return false;
 }
 
+static void init_routine(void)
+{
+	if (!netgame)
+	{
+		S_SoundInputSetEnabled(true);
+	}
+}
+
+static boolean quit_routine(void)
+{
+	if (!netgame)
+	{
+		S_SoundInputSetEnabled(false);
+	}
+
+	return true;
+}
+
 menu_t OPTIONS_VoiceDef = {
 	sizeof (OPTIONS_Voice) / sizeof (menuitem_t),
 	&OPTIONS_MainDef,
@@ -85,7 +103,7 @@ menu_t OPTIONS_VoiceDef = {
 	draw_routine,
 	M_DrawOptionsCogs,
 	tick_routine,
-	NULL,
-	NULL,
+	init_routine,
+	quit_routine,
 	input_routine,
 };
diff --git a/src/sdl/new_sound.cpp b/src/sdl/new_sound.cpp
index 3ded71879..1fa9deea2 100644
--- a/src/sdl/new_sound.cpp
+++ b/src/sdl/new_sound.cpp
@@ -198,7 +198,6 @@ static void (*music_fade_callback)();
 
 static SDL_AudioDeviceID g_device_id;
 static SDL_AudioDeviceID g_input_device_id;
-static boolean g_input_device_paused;
 
 void* I_GetSfx(sfxinfo_t* sfx)
 {
@@ -999,14 +998,14 @@ void I_UpdateAudioRecorder(void)
 
 boolean I_SoundInputIsEnabled(void)
 {
-	return g_input_device_id != 0 && !g_input_device_paused;
+	return g_input_device_id != 0;
 }
 
 boolean I_SoundInputSetEnabled(boolean enabled)
 {
 	if (g_input_device_id == 0 && enabled)
 	{
-		if (SDL_GetNumAudioDevices(true) == 0)
+		if (!sound_started || SDL_GetNumAudioDevices(true) == 0)
 		{
 			return false;
 		}
@@ -1023,21 +1022,17 @@ boolean I_SoundInputSetEnabled(boolean enabled)
 			CONS_Alert(CONS_WARNING, "Failed to open input audio device: %s\n", SDL_GetError());
 			return false;
 		}
-		g_input_device_paused = true;
-	}
-
-	if (enabled && g_input_device_paused)
-	{
 		SDL_PauseAudioDevice(g_input_device_id, SDL_FALSE);
-		g_input_device_paused = false;
 	}
-	else if (!enabled && !g_input_device_paused)
+	else if (g_input_device_id != 0 && !enabled)
 	{
 		SDL_PauseAudioDevice(g_input_device_id, SDL_TRUE);
 		SDL_ClearQueuedAudio(g_input_device_id);
-		g_input_device_paused = true;
+		SDL_CloseAudioDevice(g_input_device_id);
+		g_input_device_id = 0;
 	}
-	return !g_input_device_paused;
+
+	return enabled;
 }
 
 UINT32 I_SoundInputDequeueSamples(void *data, UINT32 len)