diff --git a/src/backends/generic/qal.c b/src/backends/generic/qal.c
index b3eef6db..d908828b 100644
--- a/src/backends/generic/qal.c
+++ b/src/backends/generic/qal.c
@@ -455,12 +455,6 @@ QAL_Init()
 	qalDopplerVelocity = Sys_GetProcAddress(handle, "alDopplerVelocity");
 	qalSpeedOfSound = Sys_GetProcAddress(handle, "alSpeedOfSound");
 	qalDistanceModel = Sys_GetProcAddress(handle, "alDistanceModel");
-#if !defined (__APPLE__)	
-	qalGenFilters = Sys_GetProcAddress(handle, "alGenFilters");
-	qalFilteri = Sys_GetProcAddress(handle, "alFilteri");
-	qalFilterf = Sys_GetProcAddress(handle, "alFilterf");
-	qalDeleteFilters = Sys_GetProcAddress(handle, "alDeleteFilters");
-#endif
 
 	/* Open the OpenAL device */
     Com_Printf("...opening OpenAL device:");
@@ -500,6 +494,20 @@ QAL_Init()
 		return false;
 	}
 
+#if !defined (__APPLE__)
+    if (qalcIsExtensionPresent(device, "ALC_EXT_EFX") != AL_FALSE) {
+        qalGenFilters = qalGetProcAddress("alGenFilters");
+        qalFilteri = qalGetProcAddress("alFilteri");
+        qalFilterf = qalGetProcAddress("alFilterf");
+        qalDeleteFilters = qalGetProcAddress("alDeleteFilters");
+    } else {
+        qalGenFilters = NULL;
+        qalFilteri = NULL;
+        qalFilterf = NULL;
+        qalDeleteFilters = NULL;
+    }
+#endif
+
 	Com_Printf("ok\n");
 
 	/* Print OpenAL informations */
diff --git a/src/client/sound/openal.c b/src/client/sound/openal.c
index 064b2d1e..991eb838 100644
--- a/src/client/sound/openal.c
+++ b/src/client/sound/openal.c
@@ -624,6 +624,9 @@ AL_Underwater()
 		return;
 	}
 
+    if (underwaterFilter == 0)
+        return;
+
 	/* Apply to all sources */
 	for (i = 0; i < s_numchannels; i++)
 	{
@@ -646,6 +649,9 @@ AL_Overwater()
 		return;
 	}
 
+    if (underwaterFilter == 0)
+        return;
+
 	/* Apply to all sources */
 	for (i = 0; i < s_numchannels; i++)
 	{
@@ -678,6 +684,11 @@ static void
 AL_InitUnderwaterFilter()
 {
 #if !defined (__APPLE__)
+    underwaterFilter = 0;
+
+    if (!(qalGenFilters && qalFilteri && qalFilterf && qalDeleteFilters))
+        return;
+
 	/* Generate a filter */
 	qalGenFilters(1, &underwaterFilter);