diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/openal/SoundGroup.java b/src/java/com/threerings/openal/SoundGroup.java
index 7bdbd5b9b..661ad73a8 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/openal/SoundGroup.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/openal/SoundGroup.java
@@ -48,11 +48,11 @@ public class SoundGroup
      */
     public Sound getSound (String path)
     {
+        ClipBuffer buffer = null;
         if (_manager.isInitialized()) {
-            return new Sound(this, _manager.getClip(_provider, path));
-        } else {
-            return new BlankSound();
+            buffer = _manager.getClip(_provider, path);
         }
+        return (buffer == null) ? new BlankSound() : new Sound(this, buffer);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ public class SoundGroup
         // start at the beginning of the list looking for an available
         // source
         for (int ii = 0, ll = _sources.size(); ii < ll; ii++) {
-            Source source = (Source)_sources.get(ii);
+            Source source = _sources.get(ii);
             if (source.holder == null || source.holder.reclaim()) {
                 // note this source's new holder
                 source.holder = acquirer;
@@ -133,5 +133,5 @@ public class SoundGroup
     protected ClipProvider _provider;
 
     protected IntBuffer _sourceIds;
-    protected ArrayList _sources = new ArrayList();
+    protected ArrayList<Source> _sources = new ArrayList<Source>();
 }
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/openal/SoundManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/openal/SoundManager.java
index ad2278f10..b9eec8b8d 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/openal/SoundManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/openal/SoundManager.java
@@ -156,16 +156,23 @@ public class SoundManager
     {
         Comparable ckey = ClipBuffer.makeKey(provider, path);
         ClipBuffer buffer = _clips.get(ckey);
-        if (buffer == null) {
-            // check to see if this clip is currently loading
-            buffer = _loading.get(ckey);
+        try {
             if (buffer == null) {
-                buffer = new ClipBuffer(this, provider, path);
-                _loading.put(ckey, buffer);
+                // check to see if this clip is currently loading
+                buffer = _loading.get(ckey);
+                if (buffer == null) {
+                    buffer = new ClipBuffer(this, provider, path);
+                    _loading.put(ckey, buffer);
+                }
             }
+            buffer.resolve(null);
+            return buffer;
+
+        } catch (Throwable t) {
+            Log.warning("Failure resolving buffer [key=" + ckey + "].");
+            Log.logStackTrace(t);
+            return null;
         }
-        buffer.resolve(null);
-        return buffer;
     }
 
     /**