diff --git a/src/itdelatrisu/opsu/MusicController.java b/src/itdelatrisu/opsu/MusicController.java
index 91b26643..8b86fd78 100644
--- a/src/itdelatrisu/opsu/MusicController.java
+++ b/src/itdelatrisu/opsu/MusicController.java
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ public class MusicController {
 
 	 /**
 	 * Gets the length of the track, in milliseconds.
-	 * Returns 0f if no file is loaded or an MP3 is currently being converted.
+	 * Returns 0 if no file is loaded or an MP3 is currently being converted.
 	 * @author bdk (http://slick.ninjacave.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2699)
 	 */
 	public static int getTrackLength() {
@@ -265,7 +265,8 @@ public class MusicController {
 			length.setAccessible(true);
 			duration = (float) (length.get(audio));
 		} catch (Exception e) {
-			Log.error("Could not get track length.", e);
+			Log.debug("Could not get track length.");
+			return 0;
 		}
 		return (int) (duration * 1000);
 	}
diff --git a/src/itdelatrisu/opsu/Opsu.java b/src/itdelatrisu/opsu/Opsu.java
index f835d0d7..a98ff71c 100644
--- a/src/itdelatrisu/opsu/Opsu.java
+++ b/src/itdelatrisu/opsu/Opsu.java
@@ -103,7 +103,8 @@ public class Opsu extends StateBasedGame {
 		Thread.setDefaultUncaughtExceptionHandler(new Thread.UncaughtExceptionHandler() {
 			@Override
 			public void uncaughtException(Thread t, Throwable e) {
-				Log.error("** Uncaught Exception! **", e);
+				if (!(e instanceof ThreadDeath))  // TODO: see MusicController
+					Log.error("** Uncaught Exception! **", e);
 			}
 		});
 
diff --git a/src/itdelatrisu/opsu/SoundController.java b/src/itdelatrisu/opsu/SoundController.java
index eca40330..2796b00e 100644
--- a/src/itdelatrisu/opsu/SoundController.java
+++ b/src/itdelatrisu/opsu/SoundController.java
@@ -23,9 +23,11 @@ import itdelatrisu.opsu.states.Options;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.net.URL;
 
+import javax.sound.sampled.AudioFormat;
 import javax.sound.sampled.AudioInputStream;
 import javax.sound.sampled.AudioSystem;
 import javax.sound.sampled.Clip;
+import javax.sound.sampled.DataLine;
 import javax.sound.sampled.FloatControl;
 import javax.sound.sampled.LineUnavailableException;
 import javax.sound.sampled.UnsupportedAudioFileException;
@@ -154,7 +156,13 @@ public class SoundController {
 		try {
 			URL url = ResourceLoader.getResource(ref);
 			AudioInputStream audioIn = AudioSystem.getAudioInputStream(url);
-			Clip clip = AudioSystem.getClip();
+
+			// GNU/Linux workaround
+//			Clip clip = AudioSystem.getClip();
+			AudioFormat format = audioIn.getFormat();
+			DataLine.Info info = new DataLine.Info(Clip.class, format);
+			Clip clip = (Clip) AudioSystem.getLine(info);
+
 			clip.open(audioIn);
 			return clip;
 		} catch (UnsupportedAudioFileException | IOException | LineUnavailableException e) {
@@ -218,6 +226,9 @@ public class SoundController {
 	 * @param volume the volume [0, 1]
 	 */
 	private static void playClip(Clip clip, float volume) {
+		if (clip == null)  // clip failed to load properly
+			return;
+
 		if (volume > 0f) {
 			// stop clip if running
 			if (clip.isRunning()) {
@@ -225,10 +236,13 @@ public class SoundController {
 				clip.flush();
 			}
 
-			// set volume
-			FloatControl gainControl = (FloatControl) clip.getControl(FloatControl.Type.MASTER_GAIN);
-			float dB = (float) (Math.log(volume) / Math.log(10.0) * 20.0);
-			gainControl.setValue(dB);
+			// PulseAudio does not support Master Gain
+			if (clip.isControlSupported(FloatControl.Type.MASTER_GAIN)) {
+				// set volume
+			    FloatControl gainControl = (FloatControl) clip.getControl(FloatControl.Type.MASTER_GAIN);
+			    float dB = (float) (Math.log(volume) / Math.log(10.0) * 20.0);
+				gainControl.setValue(dB);
+			}
 
 			// play clip
 			clip.setFramePosition(0);