diff --git a/bumblebee-status b/bumblebee-status
index e7b3ea3..698bcf8 100755
--- a/bumblebee-status
+++ b/bumblebee-status
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@ def handle_events(config, update_lock):
 
 
 def main():
-    global started
     config = core.config.Config(sys.argv[1:])
     level = logging.DEBUG if config.debug() else logging.ERROR
     if config.logfile():
@@ -98,8 +97,6 @@ def main():
     core.input.register(None, core.input.WHEEL_UP, "i3-msg workspace prev_on_output")
     core.input.register(None, core.input.WHEEL_DOWN, "i3-msg workspace next_on_output")
 
-    core.event.trigger("start")
-
     update_lock = threading.Lock()
     event_thread = threading.Thread(target=handle_events, args=(config, update_lock, ))
     event_thread.daemon = True
@@ -130,6 +127,7 @@ def main():
     if util.format.asbool(config.get("engine.collapsible", True)) == True:
         core.input.register(None, core.input.MIDDLE_MOUSE, output.toggle_minimize)
 
+    core.event.trigger("start")
     started = True
     signal.signal(10, sig_USR1_handler)
     while True:
diff --git a/bumblebee_status/core/output.py b/bumblebee_status/core/output.py
index 1bd5038..cee579f 100644
--- a/bumblebee_status/core/output.py
+++ b/bumblebee_status/core/output.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import sys
 import json
 import time
-import threading
 
 import core.theme
 import core.event
@@ -146,7 +145,6 @@ class i3(object):
         self.__content = {}
         self.__theme = theme
         self.__config = config
-        self.__lock = threading.Lock()
         core.event.register("update", self.update)
         core.event.register("start", self.draw, "start")
         core.event.register("draw", self.draw, "statusline")
@@ -178,15 +176,14 @@ class i3(object):
             self.__content[widget_id]["minimized"] = not self.__content[widget_id]["minimized"]
 
     def draw(self, what, args=None):
-        with self.__lock:
-            cb = getattr(self, what)
-            data = cb(args) if args else cb()
-            if "blocks" in data:
-                sys.stdout.write(json.dumps(data["blocks"], default=dump_json))
-            if "suffix" in data:
-                sys.stdout.write(data["suffix"])
-            sys.stdout.write("\n")
-            sys.stdout.flush()
+        cb = getattr(self, what)
+        data = cb(args) if args else cb()
+        if "blocks" in data:
+            sys.stdout.write(json.dumps(data["blocks"], default=dump_json))
+        if "suffix" in data:
+            sys.stdout.write(data["suffix"])
+        sys.stdout.write("\n")
+        sys.stdout.flush()
 
     def start(self):
         return {
@@ -247,10 +244,6 @@ class i3(object):
         return blocks
 
     def update(self, affected_modules=None, redraw_only=False, force=False):
-        with self.__lock:
-            self.update2(affected_modules, redraw_only, force)
-
-    def update2(self, affected_modules=None, redraw_only=False, force=False):
         now = time.time()
         for module in self.__modules:
             if affected_modules and not module.id in affected_modules:
diff --git a/bumblebee_status/modules/core/pulseaudio.py b/bumblebee_status/modules/core/pulseaudio.py
index 9e7150b..70acb01 100644
--- a/bumblebee_status/modules/core/pulseaudio.py
+++ b/bumblebee_status/modules/core/pulseaudio.py
@@ -33,18 +33,12 @@ Requires the following executable:
 """
 
 import re
-import os
-import time
 import logging
 import functools
-import threading
-import subprocess
-import select
 
 import core.module
 import core.widget
 import core.input
-import core.event
 
 import util.cli
 import util.graph
@@ -109,36 +103,6 @@ class Module(core.module.Module):
         for event in events:
             core.input.register(self, button=event["button"], cmd=event["action"])
 
-        self.__monitor = threading.Thread(target=self.__subscribe, args=())
-        self.__monitor.start()
-
-    def __subscribe(self):
-        self.update2()
-        core.event.trigger("update", [self.id], redraw_only=True)
-        try:
-            proc = subprocess.Popen("pactl subscribe",
-                stdout = subprocess.PIPE,
-                stderr = subprocess.STDOUT,
-                shell = True
-            )
-        except:
-            return
-        while threading.main_thread().is_alive():
-            r, w, e = select.select([proc.stdout], [], [], 1)
-
-            if not (r or w or e):
-                self.update2()
-                core.event.trigger("update", [self.id], redraw_only=True)
-                core.event.trigger("draw")
-                continue # timeout
-            # whateve we got, use it
-            self.update2()
-            core.event.trigger("update", [self.id], redraw_only=True)
-            core.event.trigger("draw")
-            os.set_blocking(proc.stdout.fileno(), False)
-            proc.stdout.read()
-            os.set_blocking(proc.stdout.fileno(), True)
-
     def set_volume(self, amount):
         util.cli.execute(
             "pactl set-{}-{} @DEFAULT_{}@ {}".format(
@@ -236,11 +200,6 @@ class Module(core.module.Module):
         return output
 
     def update(self):
-        if self.__monitor.is_alive():
-            return
-        self.update2()
-
-    def update2(self):
         try:
             self._failed = False
             channel = "sinks" if self._channel == "sink" else "sources"