diff --git a/bumblebee-status b/bumblebee-status
index 698bcf8..e7b3ea3 100755
--- a/bumblebee-status
+++ b/bumblebee-status
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ 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():
@@ -97,6 +98,8 @@ 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
@@ -127,7 +130,6 @@ 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 cee579f..1bd5038 100644
--- a/bumblebee_status/core/output.py
+++ b/bumblebee_status/core/output.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import sys
 import json
 import time
+import threading
 
 import core.theme
 import core.event
@@ -145,6 +146,7 @@ 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")
@@ -176,14 +178,15 @@ class i3(object):
             self.__content[widget_id]["minimized"] = not self.__content[widget_id]["minimized"]
 
     def draw(self, what, args=None):
-        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()
+        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()
 
     def start(self):
         return {
@@ -244,6 +247,10 @@ 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 70acb01..9e7150b 100644
--- a/bumblebee_status/modules/core/pulseaudio.py
+++ b/bumblebee_status/modules/core/pulseaudio.py
@@ -33,12 +33,18 @@ 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
@@ -103,6 +109,36 @@ 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(
@@ -200,6 +236,11 @@ 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"