diff --git a/src/spice2x/games/iidx/iidx.cpp b/src/spice2x/games/iidx/iidx.cpp
index f4856e8..4c59cd3 100644
--- a/src/spice2x/games/iidx/iidx.cpp
+++ b/src/spice2x/games/iidx/iidx.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "util/memutils.h"
 #include "util/sigscan.h"
 #include "util/utils.h"
+#include "launcher/signal.h"
 
 #include "external/robin_hood.h"
 
@@ -232,6 +233,9 @@ namespace games::iidx {
         } else if (data.find(" W:touch: missing trigger:") != std::string::npos) {
             out.clear();
             return true;
+        } else if (data.find("SuperstepSound: Audio device is not available") != std::string::npos) {
+            launcher::signal::SUPERSTEP_SOUND_ERROR = TRUE;
+            return false;
         } else {
             return false;
         }
diff --git a/src/spice2x/games/sdvx/sdvx.cpp b/src/spice2x/games/sdvx/sdvx.cpp
index 1936142..41baf6f 100644
--- a/src/spice2x/games/sdvx/sdvx.cpp
+++ b/src/spice2x/games/sdvx/sdvx.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "io.h"
 #include "acioemu/handle.h"
 #include "cfg/configurator.h"
+#include "launcher/signal.h"
 
 static decltype(RegCloseKey) *RegCloseKey_orig = nullptr;
 static decltype(RegEnumKeyA) *RegEnumKeyA_orig = nullptr;
@@ -209,6 +210,10 @@ namespace games::sdvx {
             out = "";
             return true;
         }
+        if (data.find("SuperstepSound: Audio device is not available") != std::string::npos) {
+            launcher::signal::SUPERSTEP_SOUND_ERROR = TRUE;
+            return false;
+        }
         return false;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/spice2x/launcher/signal.cpp b/src/spice2x/launcher/signal.cpp
index 4291c4f..41b3dc7 100644
--- a/src/spice2x/launcher/signal.cpp
+++ b/src/spice2x/launcher/signal.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ namespace launcher::signal {
     // settings
     bool DISABLE = false;
     bool USE_VEH_WORKAROUND = false;
+
+    // states
+    bool SUPERSTEP_SOUND_ERROR = false;
 }
 
 #define V(variant) case variant: return #variant
@@ -111,6 +114,13 @@ static LONG WINAPI TopLevelExceptionFilter(struct _EXCEPTION_POINTERS *Exception
                 "    RivaTuner Statistics Server (RTSS), MSI Afterburner, kernel mode anti-cheat");
         }
 
+        if (launcher::signal::SUPERSTEP_SOUND_ERROR) {
+            log_warning("signal", "audio initialization error was previously detected during boot!");
+            log_warning("signal", "    (W:SuperstepSound: Audio device is not available!!!)");
+            log_warning("signal", "    this crash is most likely related to audio init failure");
+            log_warning("signal", "    fix your audio device, double check your audio options/patches, and try again");
+        }
+
         // walk the exception chain
         struct _EXCEPTION_RECORD *record_cause = ExceptionRecord->ExceptionRecord;
         while (record_cause != nullptr) {
diff --git a/src/spice2x/launcher/signal.h b/src/spice2x/launcher/signal.h
index f8bc719..5d7ff09 100644
--- a/src/spice2x/launcher/signal.h
+++ b/src/spice2x/launcher/signal.h
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ namespace launcher::signal {
     // settings
     extern bool DISABLE;
     extern bool USE_VEH_WORKAROUND;
+    extern bool SUPERSTEP_SOUND_ERROR;
 
     //void print_stacktrace();
     void attach();