diff --git a/hal/audio_hw.c b/hal/audio_hw.c
index e6581cf..f6e11e8 100644
--- a/hal/audio_hw.c
+++ b/hal/audio_hw.c
@@ -2807,8 +2807,14 @@
         if ( ret == (ssize_t)bytes && !out->non_blocking)
             out->written += bytes;
 
-        if (!out->playback_started && ret >= 0) {
-            compress_start(out->compr);
+        /* Call compr start only when non-zero bytes of data is there to be rendered */
+        if (!out->playback_started && ret > 0) {
+            int status = compress_start(out->compr);
+            if (status < 0) {
+                ret = status;
+                ALOGE("%s: compr start failed with err %d", __func__, errno);
+                goto exit;
+            }
             audio_extn_dts_eagle_fade(adev, true, out);
             out->playback_started = 1;
             out->offload_state = OFFLOAD_STATE_PLAYING;
@@ -2885,8 +2891,9 @@
             out->standby = true;
         }
         out_standby(&out->stream.common);
-        usleep((uint64_t)bytes * 1000000 / audio_stream_out_frame_size(stream) /
-                        out_get_sample_rate(&out->stream.common));
+        if (!(out->flags & AUDIO_OUTPUT_FLAG_COMPRESS_OFFLOAD))
+            usleep((uint64_t)bytes * 1000000 / audio_stream_out_frame_size(stream) /
+                            out_get_sample_rate(&out->stream.common));
     }
     return bytes;
 }