diff --git a/services/audioflinger/Threads.cpp b/services/audioflinger/Threads.cpp
index c0c9cc4..1522746 100644
--- a/services/audioflinger/Threads.cpp
+++ b/services/audioflinger/Threads.cpp
@@ -120,12 +120,26 @@
 // 50 * ~20msecs = 1 second
 static const int8_t kMaxTrackRetries = 50;
 static const int8_t kMaxTrackStartupRetries = 50;
+
 // allow less retry attempts on direct output thread.
 // direct outputs can be a scarce resource in audio hardware and should
 // be released as quickly as possible.
-static const int8_t kMaxTrackRetriesDirect = 2;
-
-
+// Notes:
+// 1) The retry duration kMaxTrackRetriesDirectMs may be increased
+//    in case the data write is bursty for the AudioTrack.  The application
+//    should endeavor to write at least once every kMaxTrackRetriesDirectMs
+//    to prevent an underrun situation.  If the data is bursty, then
+//    the application can also throttle the data sent to be even.
+// 2) For compressed audio data, any data present in the AudioTrack buffer
+//    will be sent and reset the retry count.  This delivers data as
+//    it arrives, with approximately kDirectMinSleepTimeUs = 10ms checking interval.
+// 3) For linear PCM or proportional PCM, we wait one period for a period's worth
+//    of data to be available, then any remaining data is delivered.
+//    This is required to ensure the last bit of data is delivered before underrun.
+//
+// Sleep time per cycle is kDirectMinSleepTimeUs for compressed tracks
+// or the size of the HAL period for proportional / linear PCM tracks.
+static const int32_t kMaxTrackRetriesDirectMs = 200;
 
 // don't warn about blocked writes or record buffer overflows more often than this
 static const nsecs_t kWarningThrottleNs = seconds(5);
@@ -5859,11 +5873,19 @@
         // Allow draining the buffer in case the client
         // app does not call stop() and relies on underrun to stop:
         // hence the test on (track->mRetryCount > 1).
-        // If retryCount<=1 then track is about to underrun and be removed.
+        // If track->mRetryCount <= 1 then track is about to be disabled, paused, removed,
+        // so we accept any nonzero amount of data delivered by the AudioTrack (which will
+        // reset the retry counter).
         // Do not use a high threshold for compressed audio.
+
+        // target retry count that we will use is based on the time we wait for retries.
+        const int32_t targetRetryCount = kMaxTrackRetriesDirectMs * 1000 / mActiveSleepTimeUs;
+        // the retry threshold is when we accept any size for PCM data.  This is slightly
+        // smaller than the retry count so we can push small bits of data without a glitch.
+        const int32_t retryThreshold = targetRetryCount > 2 ? targetRetryCount - 1 : 1;
         uint32_t minFrames;
         if ((track->sharedBuffer() == 0) && !track->isStopping_1() && !track->isPausing()
-            && (track->mRetryCount > 1) && audio_has_proportional_frames(mFormat)) {
+            && (track->mRetryCount > retryThreshold) && audio_has_proportional_frames(mFormat)) {
             minFrames = mNormalFrameCount;
         } else {
             minFrames = 1;
@@ -5907,7 +5929,7 @@
                 mPreviousTrack = track;
 
                 // reset retry count
-                track->mRetryCount = kMaxTrackRetriesDirect;
+                track->mRetryCount = targetRetryCount;
                 mActiveTrack = t;
                 mixerStatus = MIXER_TRACKS_READY;
                 if (mHwPaused) {