diff --git a/src/common/platform/posix/cocoa/i_main.mm b/src/common/platform/posix/cocoa/i_main.mm
index 09c1daf56..382fabb23 100644
--- a/src/common/platform/posix/cocoa/i_main.mm
+++ b/src/common/platform/posix/cocoa/i_main.mm
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
-CVAR (Bool, i_soundinbackground, false, CVAR_ARCHIVE|CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG)
 EXTERN_CVAR(Int,  vid_defwidth )
 EXTERN_CVAR(Int,  vid_defheight)
 EXTERN_CVAR(Bool, vid_vsync    )
@@ -293,7 +292,7 @@ extern bool AppActive;
 {
 	ZD_UNUSED(aNotification);
 
-	S_SetSoundPaused(i_soundinbackground);
+	S_SetSoundPaused(0);
 
 	AppActive = false;
 }
diff --git a/src/common/platform/posix/sdl/sdlglvideo.cpp b/src/common/platform/posix/sdl/sdlglvideo.cpp
index 9b4aa6cd6..a5f7e6b52 100644
--- a/src/common/platform/posix/sdl/sdlglvideo.cpp
+++ b/src/common/platform/posix/sdl/sdlglvideo.cpp
@@ -95,8 +95,6 @@ CUSTOM_CVAR(Bool, gl_es, false, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG | CVAR_NOINITCA
 	Printf("This won't take effect until " GAMENAME " is restarted.\n");
 }
 
-CVAR(Bool, i_soundinbackground, false, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG)
-
 CVAR (Int, vid_adapter, 0, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG)
 
 CUSTOM_CVAR(String, vid_sdl_render_driver, "", CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG | CVAR_NOINITCALL)
@@ -721,7 +719,7 @@ void ProcessSDLWindowEvent(const SDL_WindowEvent &event)
 		break;
 
 	case SDL_WINDOWEVENT_FOCUS_LOST:
-		S_SetSoundPaused(i_soundinbackground);
+		S_SetSoundPaused(0);
 		AppActive = false;
 		break;
 
diff --git a/src/common/platform/win32/i_input.cpp b/src/common/platform/win32/i_input.cpp
index c62bbcf42..06b1e9801 100644
--- a/src/common/platform/win32/i_input.cpp
+++ b/src/common/platform/win32/i_input.cpp
@@ -140,7 +140,6 @@ int BlockMouseMove;
 static bool EventHandlerResultForNativeMouse;
 
 
-CVAR (Bool, i_soundinbackground, false, CVAR_ARCHIVE|CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG)
 CVAR (Bool, k_allowfullscreentoggle, true, CVAR_ARCHIVE|CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG)
 
 extern int chatmodeon;
@@ -508,7 +507,7 @@ LRESULT CALLBACK WndProc (HWND hWnd, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
 		{
 			SetPriorityClass (GetCurrentProcess (), IDLE_PRIORITY_CLASS);
 		}
-		S_SetSoundPaused ((!!i_soundinbackground) || wParam);
+		S_SetSoundPaused (wParam);
 		break;
 
 	case WM_WTSSESSION_CHANGE:
diff --git a/src/sound/s_doomsound.cpp b/src/sound/s_doomsound.cpp
index 6b9549067..d70318e60 100644
--- a/src/sound/s_doomsound.cpp
+++ b/src/sound/s_doomsound.cpp
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@
 
 
 FBoolCVar noisedebug("noise", false, 0);	// [RH] Print sound debugging info?
+CVAR (Bool, i_soundinbackground, false, CVAR_ARCHIVE|CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG)
+CVAR (Bool, i_pauseinbackground, true, CVAR_ARCHIVE|CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG)
 
 
 static FString LastLocalSndInfo;
@@ -930,7 +932,16 @@ void S_SerializeSounds(FSerializer &arc)
 
 void S_SetSoundPaused(int state)
 {
-	if (state)
+	if (!netgame && (i_pauseinbackground)
+#ifdef _DEBUG
+		&& !demoplayback
+#endif
+		)
+	{
+		pauseext = !state;
+	}
+
+	if ((state || i_soundinbackground) && !pauseext)
 	{
 		if (paused == 0)
 		{
@@ -954,14 +965,6 @@ void S_SetSoundPaused(int state)
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	if (!netgame
-#ifdef _DEBUG
-		&& !demoplayback
-#endif
-		)
-	{
-		pauseext = !state;
-	}
 }