diff --git a/hw/virtio/trace-events b/hw/virtio/trace-events
index 60ab62a80d..3b95e745c2 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/trace-events
+++ b/hw/virtio/trace-events
@@ -171,3 +171,5 @@ virtio_snd_handle_pcm_release(uint32_t stream) "VIRTIO_SND_PCM_RELEASE called fo
 virtio_snd_handle_code(uint32_t val, const char *code) "ctrl code msg val = %"PRIu32" == %s"
 virtio_snd_handle_chmap_info(void) "VIRTIO_SND_CHMAP_INFO called"
 virtio_snd_handle_event(void) "event queue callback called"
+virtio_snd_pcm_stream_flush(uint32_t stream) "flushing stream %"PRIu32
+virtio_snd_handle_xfer(void) "tx/rx queue callback called"
diff --git a/hw/virtio/virtio-snd.c b/hw/virtio/virtio-snd.c
index 8cc910e0b9..d9114930d6 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/virtio-snd.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/virtio-snd.c
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@
 #define VIRTIO_SOUND_CHMAP_DEFAULT 0
 #define VIRTIO_SOUND_HDA_FN_NID 0
 
+static void virtio_snd_pcm_out_cb(void *data, int available);
+static void virtio_snd_process_cmdq(VirtIOSound *s);
+static void virtio_snd_pcm_flush(VirtIOSoundPCMStream *stream);
+
 static uint32_t supported_formats = BIT(VIRTIO_SND_PCM_FMT_S8)
                                   | BIT(VIRTIO_SND_PCM_FMT_U8)
                                   | BIT(VIRTIO_SND_PCM_FMT_S16)
@@ -123,6 +127,13 @@ virtio_snd_set_config(VirtIODevice *vdev, const uint8_t *config)
 
 }
 
+static void
+virtio_snd_pcm_buffer_free(VirtIOSoundPCMBuffer *buffer)
+{
+    g_free(buffer->elem);
+    g_free(buffer);
+}
+
 static void
 virtio_snd_ctrl_cmd_free(virtio_snd_ctrl_command *cmd)
 {
@@ -396,6 +407,13 @@ static void virtio_snd_get_qemu_audsettings(audsettings *as,
  */
 static void virtio_snd_pcm_close(VirtIOSoundPCMStream *stream)
 {
+    if (stream) {
+        if (stream->info.direction == VIRTIO_SND_D_OUTPUT) {
+            virtio_snd_pcm_flush(stream);
+            AUD_close_out(&stream->pcm->snd->card, stream->voice.out);
+            stream->voice.out = NULL;
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 /*
@@ -429,6 +447,9 @@ static uint32_t virtio_snd_pcm_prepare(VirtIOSound *s, uint32_t stream_id)
         stream->id = stream_id;
         stream->pcm = s->pcm;
         stream->s = s;
+        qemu_mutex_init(&stream->queue_mutex);
+        QSIMPLEQ_INIT(&stream->queue);
+        QSIMPLEQ_INIT(&stream->invalid);
 
         /*
          * stream_id >= s->snd_conf.streams was checked before so this is
@@ -452,6 +473,18 @@ static uint32_t virtio_snd_pcm_prepare(VirtIOSound *s, uint32_t stream_id)
     stream->positions[1] = VIRTIO_SND_CHMAP_FR;
     stream->as = as;
 
+    if (stream->info.direction == VIRTIO_SND_D_OUTPUT) {
+        stream->voice.out = AUD_open_out(&s->card,
+                                         stream->voice.out,
+                                         "virtio-sound.out",
+                                         stream,
+                                         virtio_snd_pcm_out_cb,
+                                         &as);
+        AUD_set_volume_out(stream->voice.out, 0, 255, 255);
+    } else {
+        qemu_log_mask(LOG_UNIMP, "virtio_snd: input/capture is unimplemented.");
+    }
+
     return cpu_to_le32(VIRTIO_SND_S_OK);
 }
 
@@ -532,9 +565,17 @@ static void virtio_snd_handle_pcm_start_stop(VirtIOSound *s,
     cmd->resp.code = cpu_to_le32(VIRTIO_SND_S_OK);
     trace_virtio_snd_handle_pcm_start_stop(start ? "VIRTIO_SND_R_PCM_START" :
             "VIRTIO_SND_R_PCM_STOP", stream_id);
+
     stream = virtio_snd_pcm_get_stream(s, stream_id);
-    if (stream == NULL) {
-        error_report("Invalid stream id: %"PRIu32, req.stream_id);
+    if (stream) {
+        WITH_QEMU_LOCK_GUARD(&stream->queue_mutex) {
+            stream->active = start;
+        }
+        if (stream->info.direction == VIRTIO_SND_D_OUTPUT) {
+            AUD_set_active_out(stream->voice.out, start);
+        }
+    } else {
+        error_report("Invalid stream id: %"PRIu32, stream_id);
         cmd->resp.code = cpu_to_le32(VIRTIO_SND_S_BAD_MSG);
         return;
     }
@@ -542,8 +583,28 @@ static void virtio_snd_handle_pcm_start_stop(VirtIOSound *s,
 }
 
 /*
- * Handles VIRTIO_SND_R_PCM_RELEASE. Releases the buffer resources allocated to
- * a stream.
+ * Returns the number of I/O messages that are being processed.
+ *
+ * @stream: VirtIOSoundPCMStream
+ */
+static size_t virtio_snd_pcm_get_io_msgs_count(VirtIOSoundPCMStream *stream)
+{
+    VirtIOSoundPCMBuffer *buffer, *next;
+    size_t count = 0;
+
+    WITH_QEMU_LOCK_GUARD(&stream->queue_mutex) {
+        QSIMPLEQ_FOREACH_SAFE(buffer, &stream->queue, entry, next) {
+            count += 1;
+        }
+        QSIMPLEQ_FOREACH_SAFE(buffer, &stream->invalid, entry, next) {
+            count += 1;
+        }
+    }
+    return count;
+}
+
+/*
+ * Handles VIRTIO_SND_R_PCM_RELEASE.
  *
  * @s: VirtIOSound device
  * @cmd: The request command queue element from VirtIOSound cmdq field
@@ -584,6 +645,21 @@ static void virtio_snd_handle_pcm_release(VirtIOSound *s,
         cmd->resp.code = cpu_to_le32(VIRTIO_SND_S_BAD_MSG);
         return;
     }
+
+    if (virtio_snd_pcm_get_io_msgs_count(stream)) {
+        /*
+         * virtio-v1.2-csd01, 5.14.6.6.5.1,
+         * Device Requirements: Stream Release
+         *
+         * - The device MUST complete all pending I/O messages for the
+         *   specified stream ID.
+         * - The device MUST NOT complete the control request while there
+         *   are pending I/O messages for the specified stream ID.
+         */
+        trace_virtio_snd_pcm_stream_flush(stream_id);
+        virtio_snd_pcm_flush(stream);
+    }
+
     cmd->resp.code = cpu_to_le32(VIRTIO_SND_S_OK);
 }
 
@@ -738,6 +814,108 @@ static void virtio_snd_handle_event(VirtIODevice *vdev, VirtQueue *vq)
     trace_virtio_snd_handle_event();
 }
 
+/*
+ * The tx virtqueue handler. Makes the buffers available to their respective
+ * streams for consumption.
+ *
+ * @vdev: VirtIOSound device
+ * @vq: tx virtqueue
+ */
+static void virtio_snd_handle_tx(VirtIODevice *vdev, VirtQueue *vq)
+{
+    VirtIOSound *s = VIRTIO_SND(vdev);
+    VirtIOSoundPCMStream *stream = NULL;
+    VirtIOSoundPCMBuffer *buffer;
+    VirtQueueElement *elem;
+    size_t msg_sz, size;
+    virtio_snd_pcm_xfer hdr;
+    virtio_snd_pcm_status resp = { 0 };
+    uint32_t stream_id;
+    /*
+     * If any of the I/O messages are invalid, put them in stream->invalid and
+     * return them after the for loop.
+     */
+    bool must_empty_invalid_queue = false;
+
+    if (!virtio_queue_ready(vq)) {
+        return;
+    }
+    trace_virtio_snd_handle_tx_xfer();
+
+    for (;;) {
+        elem = virtqueue_pop(vq, sizeof(VirtQueueElement));
+        if (!elem) {
+            break;
+        }
+        /* get the message hdr object */
+        msg_sz = iov_to_buf(elem->out_sg,
+                            elem->out_num,
+                            0,
+                            &hdr,
+                            sizeof(virtio_snd_pcm_xfer));
+        if (msg_sz != sizeof(virtio_snd_pcm_xfer)) {
+            goto tx_err;
+        }
+        stream_id = le32_to_cpu(hdr.stream_id);
+
+        if (stream_id >= s->snd_conf.streams
+            || s->pcm->streams[stream_id] == NULL) {
+            goto tx_err;
+        }
+
+        stream = s->pcm->streams[stream_id];
+        if (stream->info.direction != VIRTIO_SND_D_OUTPUT) {
+            goto tx_err;
+        }
+
+        WITH_QEMU_LOCK_GUARD(&stream->queue_mutex) {
+            size = iov_size(elem->out_sg, elem->out_num);
+
+            buffer = g_malloc0(sizeof(VirtIOSoundPCMBuffer) + size);
+            buffer->elem = elem;
+            buffer->stale = true;
+            buffer->vq = vq;
+            buffer->size = size;
+            buffer->offset = sizeof(virtio_snd_pcm_xfer);
+
+            QSIMPLEQ_INSERT_TAIL(&stream->queue, buffer, entry);
+        }
+        continue;
+
+tx_err:
+        WITH_QEMU_LOCK_GUARD(&stream->queue_mutex) {
+            must_empty_invalid_queue = true;
+            buffer = g_malloc0(sizeof(VirtIOSoundPCMBuffer));
+            buffer->elem = elem;
+            buffer->vq = vq;
+            QSIMPLEQ_INSERT_TAIL(&stream->invalid, buffer, entry);
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (must_empty_invalid_queue) {
+        WITH_QEMU_LOCK_GUARD(&stream->queue_mutex) {
+            while (!QSIMPLEQ_EMPTY(&stream->invalid)) {
+                buffer = QSIMPLEQ_FIRST(&stream->invalid);
+
+                resp.status = cpu_to_le32(VIRTIO_SND_S_BAD_MSG);
+                iov_from_buf(buffer->elem->in_sg,
+                             buffer->elem->in_num,
+                             0,
+                             &resp,
+                             sizeof(virtio_snd_pcm_status));
+                virtqueue_push(vq, buffer->elem, sizeof(virtio_snd_pcm_status));
+                QSIMPLEQ_REMOVE_HEAD(&stream->invalid, entry);
+                virtio_snd_pcm_buffer_free(buffer);
+            }
+            /*
+             * Notify vq about virtio_snd_pcm_status responses.
+             * Buffer responses must be notified separately later.
+             */
+            virtio_notify(vdev, vq);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /*
  * Stub buffer virtqueue handler.
  *
@@ -832,7 +1010,7 @@ static void virtio_snd_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
     vsnd->queues[VIRTIO_SND_VQ_EVENT] =
         virtio_add_queue(vdev, 64, virtio_snd_handle_event);
     vsnd->queues[VIRTIO_SND_VQ_TX] =
-        virtio_add_queue(vdev, 64, virtio_snd_handle_xfer);
+        virtio_add_queue(vdev, 64, virtio_snd_handle_tx);
     vsnd->queues[VIRTIO_SND_VQ_RX] =
         virtio_add_queue(vdev, 64, virtio_snd_handle_xfer);
     qemu_mutex_init(&vsnd->cmdq_mutex);
@@ -856,6 +1034,106 @@ static void virtio_snd_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
     }
 }
 
+/*
+ * AUD_* output callback.
+ *
+ * @data: VirtIOSoundPCMStream stream
+ * @available: number of bytes that can be written with AUD_write()
+ */
+static void virtio_snd_pcm_out_cb(void *data, int available)
+{
+    VirtIOSoundPCMStream *stream = data;
+    VirtIOSoundPCMBuffer *buffer;
+    size_t size;
+
+    WITH_QEMU_LOCK_GUARD(&stream->queue_mutex) {
+        while (!QSIMPLEQ_EMPTY(&stream->queue)) {
+            buffer = QSIMPLEQ_FIRST(&stream->queue);
+            if (!virtio_queue_ready(buffer->vq)) {
+                return;
+            }
+            if (!stream->active) {
+                /* Stream has stopped, so do not perform AUD_write. */
+                goto return_tx_buffer;
+            }
+            if (buffer->stale) {
+                iov_to_buf(buffer->elem->out_sg,
+                           buffer->elem->out_num,
+                           buffer->offset,
+                           buffer->data,
+                           buffer->size);
+                buffer->stale = false;
+            }
+            for (;;) {
+                size = AUD_write(stream->voice.out,
+                                 buffer->data + buffer->offset,
+                                 MIN(buffer->size, available));
+                assert(size <= MIN(buffer->size, available));
+                if (size == 0) {
+                    /* break out of both loops */
+                    available = 0;
+                    break;
+                }
+                buffer->size -= size;
+                buffer->offset += size;
+                available -= size;
+                if (buffer->size < 1) {
+return_tx_buffer:
+                    virtio_snd_pcm_status resp = { 0 };
+                    resp.status = cpu_to_le32(VIRTIO_SND_S_OK);
+                    resp.latency_bytes = 0;
+                    iov_from_buf(buffer->elem->in_sg,
+                                 buffer->elem->in_num,
+                                 0,
+                                 &resp,
+                                 sizeof(virtio_snd_pcm_status));
+                    virtqueue_push(buffer->vq,
+                                   buffer->elem,
+                                   sizeof(virtio_snd_pcm_status));
+                    virtio_notify(VIRTIO_DEVICE(stream->s), buffer->vq);
+                    QSIMPLEQ_REMOVE_HEAD(&stream->queue, entry);
+                    virtio_snd_pcm_buffer_free(buffer);
+                    break;
+                }
+                if (!available) {
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+            if (!available) {
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/*
+ * Flush all buffer data from this stream's queue into the driver's virtual
+ * queue.
+ *
+ * @stream: VirtIOSoundPCMStream *stream
+ */
+static void virtio_snd_pcm_flush(VirtIOSoundPCMStream *stream)
+{
+    VirtIOSoundPCMBuffer *buffer, *next;
+
+    WITH_QEMU_LOCK_GUARD(&stream->queue_mutex) {
+        QSIMPLEQ_FOREACH_SAFE(buffer, &stream->queue, entry, next) {
+            AUD_write(stream->voice.out,
+                      buffer->data + buffer->offset,
+                      buffer->size);
+            virtqueue_push(buffer->vq,
+                           buffer->elem,
+                           sizeof(VirtQueueElement));
+            virtio_notify(VIRTIO_DEVICE(stream->s), buffer->vq);
+            QSIMPLEQ_REMOVE(&stream->queue,
+                            buffer,
+                            VirtIOSoundPCMBuffer,
+                            entry);
+            virtio_snd_pcm_buffer_free(buffer);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 static void virtio_snd_unrealize(DeviceState *dev)
 {
     VirtIODevice *vdev = VIRTIO_DEVICE(dev);
@@ -872,6 +1150,7 @@ static void virtio_snd_unrealize(DeviceState *dev)
                 if (stream) {
                     virtio_snd_process_cmdq(stream->s);
                     virtio_snd_pcm_close(stream);
+                    qemu_mutex_destroy(&stream->queue_mutex);
                     g_free(stream);
                 }
             }
diff --git a/include/hw/virtio/virtio-snd.h b/include/hw/virtio/virtio-snd.h
index 4b4aaffff1..327d622066 100644
--- a/include/hw/virtio/virtio-snd.h
+++ b/include/hw/virtio/virtio-snd.h
@@ -77,6 +77,50 @@ typedef struct virtio_snd_ctrl_command virtio_snd_ctrl_command;
 
 typedef struct VirtIOSoundPCM VirtIOSoundPCM;
 
+typedef struct VirtIOSoundPCMBuffer VirtIOSoundPCMBuffer;
+
+/*
+ * The VirtIO sound spec reuses layouts and values from the High Definition
+ * Audio spec (virtio/v1.2: 5.14 Sound Device). This struct handles each I/O
+ * message's buffer (virtio/v1.2: 5.14.6.8 PCM I/O Messages).
+ *
+ * In the case of TX (i.e. playback) buffers, we defer reading the raw PCM data
+ * from the virtqueue until QEMU's sound backsystem calls the output callback.
+ * This is tracked by the `bool stale;` field, which is set to false when data
+ * has been read into our own buffer for consumption.
+ *
+ * VirtIOSoundPCMBuffer has a dynamic size since it includes the raw PCM data
+ * in its allocation. It must be initialized and destroyed as follows:
+ *
+ *   size_t size = [[derived from owned VQ element descriptor sizes]];
+ *   buffer = g_malloc0(sizeof(VirtIOSoundPCMBuffer) + size);
+ *   buffer->elem = [[owned VQ element]];
+ *
+ *   [..]
+ *
+ *   g_free(buffer->elem);
+ *   g_free(buffer);
+ */
+struct VirtIOSoundPCMBuffer {
+    QSIMPLEQ_ENTRY(VirtIOSoundPCMBuffer) entry;
+    VirtQueueElement *elem;
+    VirtQueue *vq;
+    size_t size;
+    /*
+     * In TX / Plaback, `offset` represents the first unused position inside
+     * `data`. If `offset == size` then there are no unused data left.
+     */
+    uint64_t offset;
+    /* Used for the TX queue for lazy I/O copy from `elem` */
+    bool stale;
+    /*
+     * VirtIOSoundPCMBuffer is an unsized type because it ends with an array of
+     * bytes. The size of `data` is determined from the I/O message's read-only
+     * or write-only size when allocating VirtIOSoundPCMBuffer.
+     */
+    uint8_t data[];
+};
+
 struct VirtIOSoundPCM {
     VirtIOSound *snd;
     /*
@@ -104,7 +148,10 @@ struct VirtIOSoundPCMStream {
         SWVoiceIn *in;
         SWVoiceOut *out;
     } voice;
+    QemuMutex queue_mutex;
     bool active;
+    QSIMPLEQ_HEAD(, VirtIOSoundPCMBuffer) queue;
+    QSIMPLEQ_HEAD(, VirtIOSoundPCMBuffer) invalid;
 };
 
 /*
