diff --git a/modules/juce_audio_basics/sources/juce_BufferingAudioSource.cpp b/modules/juce_audio_basics/sources/juce_BufferingAudioSource.cpp
index c47cc5e55c..7da13ab520 100644
--- a/modules/juce_audio_basics/sources/juce_BufferingAudioSource.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_audio_basics/sources/juce_BufferingAudioSource.cpp
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ BufferingAudioSource::BufferingAudioSource (PositionableAudioSource* s,
                                             TimeSliceThread& thread,
                                             const bool deleteSourceWhenDeleted,
                                             const int bufferSizeSamples,
-                                            const int numChannels)
+                                            const int numChannels,
+                                            bool prefillBufferOnPrepareToPlay)
     : source (s, deleteSourceWhenDeleted),
       backgroundThread (thread),
       numberOfSamplesToBuffer (jmax (1024, bufferSizeSamples)),
@@ -36,7 +37,8 @@ BufferingAudioSource::BufferingAudioSource (PositionableAudioSource* s,
       nextPlayPos (0),
       sampleRate (0),
       wasSourceLooping (false),
-      isPrepared (false)
+      isPrepared (false),
+      prefillBuffer (prefillBufferOnPrepareToPlay)
 {
     jassert (source != nullptr);
 
@@ -73,12 +75,13 @@ void BufferingAudioSource::prepareToPlay (int samplesPerBlockExpected, double ne
 
         backgroundThread.addTimeSliceClient (this);
 
-        while (bufferValidEnd - bufferValidStart < jmin (((int) newSampleRate) / 4,
-                                                         buffer.getNumSamples() / 2))
+        do
         {
             backgroundThread.moveToFrontOfQueue (this);
             Thread::sleep (5);
         }
+        while (prefillBuffer
+         && (bufferValidEnd - bufferValidStart < jmin (((int) newSampleRate) / 4, buffer.getNumSamples() / 2)));
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/modules/juce_audio_basics/sources/juce_BufferingAudioSource.h b/modules/juce_audio_basics/sources/juce_BufferingAudioSource.h
index 88116207c5..f725d6f441 100644
--- a/modules/juce_audio_basics/sources/juce_BufferingAudioSource.h
+++ b/modules/juce_audio_basics/sources/juce_BufferingAudioSource.h
@@ -43,21 +43,24 @@ public:
     //==============================================================================
     /** Creates a BufferingAudioSource.
 
-        @param source                   the input source to read from
-        @param backgroundThread         a background thread that will be used for the
-                                        background read-ahead. This object must not be deleted
-                                        until after any BufferingAudioSources that are using it
-                                        have been deleted!
-        @param deleteSourceWhenDeleted  if true, then the input source object will
-                                        be deleted when this object is deleted
-        @param numberOfSamplesToBuffer  the size of buffer to use for reading ahead
-        @param numberOfChannels         the number of channels that will be played
+        @param source                       the input source to read from
+        @param backgroundThread             a background thread that will be used for the
+                                            background read-ahead. This object must not be deleted
+                                            until after any BufferingAudioSources that are using it
+                                            have been deleted!
+        @param deleteSourceWhenDeleted      if true, then the input source object will
+                                            be deleted when this object is deleted
+        @param numberOfSamplesToBuffer      the size of buffer to use for reading ahead
+        @param numberOfChannels             the number of channels that will be played
+        @param prefillBufferOnPrepareToPlay if true, then calling prepareToPlay on this object will
+                                            block until the buffer has been filled
     */
     BufferingAudioSource (PositionableAudioSource* source,
                           TimeSliceThread& backgroundThread,
                           bool deleteSourceWhenDeleted,
                           int numberOfSamplesToBuffer,
-                          int numberOfChannels = 2);
+                          int numberOfChannels = 2,
+                          bool prefillBufferOnPrepareToPlay = true);
 
     /** Destructor.
 
@@ -98,7 +101,7 @@ private:
     CriticalSection bufferStartPosLock;
     int64 volatile bufferValidStart, bufferValidEnd, nextPlayPos;
     double volatile sampleRate;
-    bool wasSourceLooping, isPrepared;
+    bool wasSourceLooping, isPrepared, prefillBuffer;
 
     bool readNextBufferChunk();
     void readBufferSection (int64 start, int length, int bufferOffset);