diff --git a/libraries/audio/src/Sound.cpp b/libraries/audio/src/Sound.cpp
index 67f9952771..da284f19a3 100644
--- a/libraries/audio/src/Sound.cpp
+++ b/libraries/audio/src/Sound.cpp
@@ -43,8 +43,11 @@ void soundSharedPointerFromScriptValue(const QScriptValue& object, SharedSoundPo
     }
 }
 
-SoundScriptingInterface::SoundScriptingInterface(SharedSoundPointer sound) : _sound(sound) {
-    QObject::connect(sound.data(), &Sound::ready, this, &SoundScriptingInterface::ready);
+SoundScriptingInterface::SoundScriptingInterface(const SharedSoundPointer& sound) : _sound(sound) {
+    // During shutdown we can sometimes get an empty sound pointer back
+    if (_sound) {
+        QObject::connect(_sound.data(), &Sound::ready, this, &SoundScriptingInterface::ready);
+    }
 }
 
 Sound::Sound(const QUrl& url, bool isStereo, bool isAmbisonic) :
diff --git a/libraries/audio/src/Sound.h b/libraries/audio/src/Sound.h
index 348600e4ae..a0544870d0 100644
--- a/libraries/audio/src/Sound.h
+++ b/libraries/audio/src/Sound.h
@@ -105,11 +105,11 @@ class SoundScriptingInterface : public QObject {
     Q_PROPERTY(float duration READ getDuration)
 
 public:
-    SoundScriptingInterface(SharedSoundPointer sound);
-    SharedSoundPointer getSound() { return _sound; }
+    SoundScriptingInterface(const SharedSoundPointer& sound);
+    const SharedSoundPointer& getSound() { return _sound; }
 
-    bool isReady() const { return _sound->isReady(); }
-    float getDuration() { return _sound->getDuration(); }
+    bool isReady() const { return _sound ? _sound->isReady() : false; }
+    float getDuration() { return _sound ? _sound->getDuration() : 0.0f; }
 
 /**jsdoc
  * Triggered when the sound has been downloaded and is ready to be played.