diff --git a/audio/out/buffer.c b/audio/out/buffer.c
index 4ab3e405bc..a5520f3a21 100644
--- a/audio/out/buffer.c
+++ b/audio/out/buffer.c
@@ -170,21 +170,12 @@ static int read_buffer(struct ao *ao, void **data, int samples, bool *eof)
     return pos;
 }
 
-// Read the given amount of samples in the user-provided data buffer. Returns
-// the number of samples copied. If there is not enough data (buffer underrun
-// or EOF), return the number of samples that could be copied, and fill the
-// rest of the user-provided buffer with silence.
-// This basically assumes that the audio device doesn't care about underruns.
-// If this is called in paused mode, it will always return 0.
-// The caller should set out_time_ns to the expected delay until the last sample
-// reaches the speakers, in nanoseconds, using mp_time_ns() as reference.
-int ao_read_data(struct ao *ao, void **data, int samples, int64_t out_time_ns)
+static int ao_read_data_unlocked(struct ao *ao, void **data, int samples,
+                                 int64_t out_time_ns)
 {
     struct buffer_state *p = ao->buffer_state;
     assert(!ao->driver->write);
 
-    mp_mutex_lock(&p->lock);
-
     int pos = read_buffer(ao, data, samples, &(bool){0});
 
     if (pos > 0)
@@ -197,6 +188,41 @@ int ao_read_data(struct ao *ao, void **data, int samples, int64_t out_time_ns)
         mp_cond_broadcast(&p->wakeup);
     }
 
+    return pos;
+}
+
+// Read the given amount of samples in the user-provided data buffer. Returns
+// the number of samples copied. If there is not enough data (buffer underrun
+// or EOF), return the number of samples that could be copied, and fill the
+// rest of the user-provided buffer with silence.
+// This basically assumes that the audio device doesn't care about underruns.
+// If this is called in paused mode, it will always return 0.
+// The caller should set out_time_ns to the expected delay until the last sample
+// reaches the speakers, in nanoseconds, using mp_time_ns() as reference.
+int ao_read_data(struct ao *ao, void **data, int samples, int64_t out_time_ns)
+{
+    struct buffer_state *p = ao->buffer_state;
+
+    mp_mutex_lock(&p->lock);
+
+    int pos = ao_read_data_unlocked(ao, data, samples, out_time_ns);
+
+    mp_mutex_unlock(&p->lock);
+
+    return pos;
+}
+
+// Like ao_read_data() but does not block and also may return partial data.
+// Callers have to check the return value.
+int ao_read_data_nonblocking(struct ao *ao, void **data, int samples, int64_t out_time_ns)
+{
+    struct buffer_state *p = ao->buffer_state;
+
+    if (mp_mutex_trylock(&p->lock))
+            return 0;
+
+    int pos = ao_read_data_unlocked(ao, data, samples, out_time_ns);
+
     mp_mutex_unlock(&p->lock);
 
     return pos;
diff --git a/audio/out/internal.h b/audio/out/internal.h
index 1ae92a8b92..7951b3861e 100644
--- a/audio/out/internal.h
+++ b/audio/out/internal.h
@@ -200,6 +200,8 @@ struct ao_driver {
 // These functions can be called by AOs.
 
 int ao_read_data(struct ao *ao, void **data, int samples, int64_t out_time_ns);
+MP_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT
+int ao_read_data_nonblocking(struct ao *ao, void **data, int samples, int64_t out_time_ns);
 
 bool ao_chmap_sel_adjust(struct ao *ao, const struct mp_chmap_sel *s,
                          struct mp_chmap *map);
diff --git a/osdep/compiler.h b/osdep/compiler.h
index 2908f6e0f2..f5658979e3 100644
--- a/osdep/compiler.h
+++ b/osdep/compiler.h
@@ -7,10 +7,12 @@
 #define PRINTF_ATTRIBUTE(a1, a2) __attribute__ ((format(printf, a1, a2)))
 #define MP_NORETURN __attribute__((noreturn))
 #define MP_FALLTHROUGH __attribute__((fallthrough))
+#define MP_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT __attribute__((warn_unused_result))
 #else
 #define PRINTF_ATTRIBUTE(a1, a2)
 #define MP_NORETURN
 #define MP_FALLTHROUGH do {} while (0)
+#define MP_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT
 #endif
 
 // Broken crap with __USE_MINGW_ANSI_STDIO