diff --git a/devices/common/viacuda.cpp b/devices/common/viacuda.cpp
index fc88929d29..cd91837b62 100644
--- a/devices/common/viacuda.cpp
+++ b/devices/common/viacuda.cpp
@@ -790,7 +790,8 @@ void ViaCuda::pseudo_command() {
         response_header(CUDA_PKT_PSEUDO, 0);
         break;
     case CUDA_SET_POWER_MESSAGES:
-        LOG_F(WARNING, "Cuda: unsupported pseudo command 0x%X SET_POWER_MESSAGES", cmd);
+        this->power_messages_enabled = !!this->in_buf[2];
+        LOG_F(INFO, "Cuda: power messages %s", this->power_messages_enabled ? "enabled" : "disabled");
         response_header(CUDA_PKT_PSEUDO, 0);
         break;
     case CUDA_READ_WRITE_I2C:
@@ -798,7 +799,18 @@ void ViaCuda::pseudo_command() {
         i2c_simple_transaction(this->in_buf[2], &this->in_buf[3], this->in_count - 3);
         break;
     case CUDA_TIMER_TICKLE:
-        LOG_F(WARNING, "Cuda: unsupported pseudo command 0x%X TIMER_TICKLE - Byte Sent: 0x%02x", cmd, this->in_buf[2]);
+        // The guest re-arms the Cuda shutdown watchdog on every tickle; the
+        // firmware counts it down at 16 counts/sec and powers the machine off
+        // when it reaches zero. We track the count so an arm value change is
+        // visible in the log, but never act on expiry to avoid spurious
+        // power-offs if the guest stops tickling.
+        if (this->tickle_value != this->in_buf[2]) {
+            this->tickle_value = this->in_buf[2];
+            LOG_F(INFO, "Cuda: timer tickle set to %d counts (%.1f s)", this->tickle_value,
+                  (double)this->tickle_value / 16.0);
+        } else {
+            LOG_F(9, "Cuda: timer tickle");
+        }
         response_header(CUDA_PKT_PSEUDO, 0);
         break;
     case CUDA_COMB_FMT_I2C:
diff --git a/devices/common/viacuda.h b/devices/common/viacuda.h
index 3054dcc790..e37b0dee4b 100644
--- a/devices/common/viacuda.h
+++ b/devices/common/viacuda.h
@@ -241,6 +241,8 @@ class ViaCuda : public I2CBus {
     bool     one_sec_missed    = false;  // ERS: missed pkt -> fallback to mode $01
     bool     file_server       = false; 
     bool     mono_stable       = false; 
+    bool     power_messages_enabled = false;
+    uint8_t  tickle_value = 0;           // last shutdown watchdog count from the guest 
     uint8_t  ipl_level   = 0;
     uint16_t device_mask = 0;
 
diff --git a/devices/sound/soundserver_cubeb.cpp b/devices/sound/soundserver_cubeb.cpp
index 320bf8fda8..f31cb3019b 100644
--- a/devices/sound/soundserver_cubeb.cpp
+++ b/devices/sound/soundserver_cubeb.cpp
@@ -167,22 +167,26 @@ static void status_callback(cubeb_stream *stream, void *user_data, cubeb_state s
 
 int SoundServer::open_out_stream(uint32_t sample_rate, DmaOutChannel *dma_ch)
 {
-    if (is_deterministic) {
-        impl->deterministic_poll_cb = [dma_ch] {
-            if (!dma_ch->is_out_active()) {
-               return;
-            }
-            // Drain the DMA buffer, but don't do anything else.
-            while(1) {
-                uint8_t *chunk;
-                uint32_t chunk_size;
-                if (DmaPullResult::MoreData == dma_ch->pull_data(1024, &chunk_size, &chunk)) {
-                    ;
-                } else {
-                    break;
-                }
+    // Set up a cyclic-timer DMA drain callback. It keeps the guest sound DMA
+    // advancing even if the host audio stream cannot be started, otherwise
+    // the guest sound driver would stall forever waiting for DMA interrupts.
+    impl->deterministic_poll_cb = [dma_ch] {
+        if (!dma_ch->is_out_active()) {
+           return;
+        }
+        // Drain the DMA buffer, but don't do anything else.
+        while(1) {
+            uint8_t *chunk;
+            uint32_t chunk_size;
+            if (DmaPullResult::MoreData == dma_ch->pull_data(1024, &chunk_size, &chunk)) {
+                ;
+            } else {
+                break;
             }
-        };
+        }
+    };
+
+    if (is_deterministic) {
         impl->status = SND_STREAM_OPENED;
         LOG_F(9, "Deterministic sound output callback set up.");
         return 0;
@@ -228,16 +232,27 @@ int SoundServer::start_out_stream()
             TimerManager::get_instance()->add_cyclic_timer(MSECS_TO_NSECS(10), impl->deterministic_poll_cb);
         return 0;
     }
-    return cubeb_stream_start(impl->out_stream);
+    int res = cubeb_stream_start(impl->out_stream);
+    if (res != CUBEB_OK) {
+        // Fall back to draining the guest sound DMA via a cyclic timer so
+        // that the guest sound driver does not stall waiting for DMA progress
+        // that the failed host stream will never provide.
+        if (!impl->deterministic_poll_timer) {
+            impl->deterministic_poll_timer =
+                TimerManager::get_instance()->add_cyclic_timer(MSECS_TO_NSECS(10), impl->deterministic_poll_cb);
+            LOG_F(9, "Host sound output stream start failed; falling back to cyclic DMA drain.");
+        }
+    }
+    return res;
 }
 
 void SoundServer::close_out_stream()
 {
-    if (!impl->out_stream)
-        return;
-    if (is_deterministic) {
-        LOG_F(9, "Stopping sound output deterministic polling.");
+    if (impl->deterministic_poll_timer) {
         TimerManager::get_instance()->cancel_timer(impl->deterministic_poll_timer);
+        impl->deterministic_poll_timer = 0;
+    }
+    if (!impl->out_stream) {
         impl->status = SND_STREAM_CLOSED;
         return;
     }