diff --git a/services/audioflinger/PatchPanel.cpp b/services/audioflinger/PatchPanel.cpp
index d8abb49f00..786c27999c 100644
--- a/services/audioflinger/PatchPanel.cpp
+++ b/services/audioflinger/PatchPanel.cpp
@@ -496,10 +496,12 @@ status_t AudioFlinger::PatchPanel::Patch::createConnections(PatchPanel *panel)
     }
 
     sp<RecordThread::PatchRecord> tempRecordTrack;
+    const bool usePassthruPatchRecord =
+            (inputFlags & AUDIO_INPUT_FLAG_DIRECT) && (outputFlags & AUDIO_OUTPUT_FLAG_DIRECT);
     const size_t playbackFrameCount = mPlayback.thread()->frameCount();
     const size_t recordFrameCount = mRecord.thread()->frameCount();
     size_t frameCount = 0;
-    if ((inputFlags & AUDIO_INPUT_FLAG_DIRECT) && (outputFlags & AUDIO_OUTPUT_FLAG_DIRECT)) {
+    if (usePassthruPatchRecord) {
         // PassthruPatchRecord producesBufferOnDemand, so use
         // maximum of playback and record thread framecounts
         frameCount = std::max(playbackFrameCount, recordFrameCount);
@@ -556,8 +558,14 @@ status_t AudioFlinger::PatchPanel::Patch::createConnections(PatchPanel *panel)
     }
 
     // tie playback and record tracks together
-    mRecord.setTrackAndPeer(tempRecordTrack, tempPatchTrack);
-    mPlayback.setTrackAndPeer(tempPatchTrack, tempRecordTrack);
+    // In the case of PassthruPatchRecord no I/O activity happens on RecordThread,
+    // everything is driven from PlaybackThread. Thus AudioBufferProvider methods
+    // of PassthruPatchRecord can only be called if the corresponding PatchTrack
+    // is alive. There is no need to hold a reference, and there is no need
+    // to clear it. In fact, since playback stopping is asynchronous, there is
+    // no proper time when clearing could be done.
+    mRecord.setTrackAndPeer(tempRecordTrack, tempPatchTrack, !usePassthruPatchRecord);
+    mPlayback.setTrackAndPeer(tempPatchTrack, tempRecordTrack, true /*holdReference*/);
 
     // start capture and playback
     mRecord.track()->start(AudioSystem::SYNC_EVENT_NONE, AUDIO_SESSION_NONE);
diff --git a/services/audioflinger/PatchPanel.h b/services/audioflinger/PatchPanel.h
index 4e0d243f7e..89d4eb19de 100644
--- a/services/audioflinger/PatchPanel.h
+++ b/services/audioflinger/PatchPanel.h
@@ -128,18 +128,20 @@ public:
             mCloseThread = closeThread;
         }
         template <typename T>
-        void setTrackAndPeer(const sp<TrackType>& track, const sp<T> &peer) {
+        void setTrackAndPeer(const sp<TrackType>& track, const sp<T> &peer, bool holdReference) {
             mTrack = track;
             mThread->addPatchTrack(mTrack);
-            mTrack->setPeerProxy(peer, true /* holdReference */);
+            mTrack->setPeerProxy(peer, holdReference);
+            mClearPeerProxy = holdReference;
         }
-        void clearTrackPeer() { if (mTrack) mTrack->clearPeerProxy(); }
+        void clearTrackPeer() { if (mClearPeerProxy && mTrack) mTrack->clearPeerProxy(); }
         void stopTrack() { if (mTrack) mTrack->stop(); }
 
         void swap(Endpoint &other) noexcept {
             using std::swap;
             swap(mThread, other.mThread);
             swap(mCloseThread, other.mCloseThread);
+            swap(mClearPeerProxy, other.mClearPeerProxy);
             swap(mHandle, other.mHandle);
             swap(mTrack, other.mTrack);
         }
@@ -151,6 +153,7 @@ public:
     private:
         sp<ThreadType> mThread;
         bool mCloseThread = true;
+        bool mClearPeerProxy = true;
         audio_patch_handle_t mHandle = AUDIO_PATCH_HANDLE_NONE;
         sp<TrackType> mTrack;
     };