diff --git a/src/eepp/window/backend/SDL3/backendsdl3.cpp b/src/eepp/window/backend/SDL3/backendsdl3.cpp
index ca6ca2d1a..e0a4e7f17 100644
--- a/src/eepp/window/backend/SDL3/backendsdl3.cpp
+++ b/src/eepp/window/backend/SDL3/backendsdl3.cpp
@@ -47,7 +47,10 @@ WindowBackendSDL3::~WindowBackendSDL3() {
 	Private::WaylandDragAndDrop::shutdown();
 #endif
 #if EE_PLATFORM != EE_PLATFORM_MACOS
-	SDL_Quit();
+	// Audio belongs to MojoAL, independently of the Engine, and its last resource can be
+	// released on a worker. Global SDL_Quit() ignores those references and races with
+	// alcCloseDevice(), leaving SDL audio shutdown to use already-cleared driver callbacks.
+	SDL_QuitSubSystem( SDL_INIT_VIDEO );
 #endif
 }
 
diff --git a/src/tests/unit_tests/audio_window_lifetime_tests.cpp b/src/tests/unit_tests/audio_window_lifetime_tests.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fdd0abf37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tests/unit_tests/audio_window_lifetime_tests.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+#include "utest.h"
+#include <array>
+#include <condition_variable>
+#include <eepp/audio/sound.hpp>
+#include <eepp/audio/soundbuffer.hpp>
+#include <eepp/system/clock.hpp>
+#include <eepp/system/sys.hpp>
+#include <eepp/window/engine.hpp>
+#include <mutex>
+#include <thread>
+
+using namespace EE;
+using namespace EE::Audio;
+using namespace EE::System;
+using namespace EE::Window;
+
+namespace {
+
+struct AudioWindowFixture {
+	AudioWindowFixture() { Engine::destroySingleton(); }
+
+	~AudioWindowFixture() { Engine::destroySingleton(); }
+
+	static bool isSDL3() {
+		// The settings factory resolves the backend compiled into the library without
+		// requiring backend-specific headers or defines in the test executable.
+		return Engine::instance()->createWindowSettings( std::string{} ).Backend ==
+			   WindowBackend::SDL3;
+	}
+
+	static EE::Window::Window* createWindow() {
+		return Engine::instance()->createWindow( WindowSettings{
+			64, 64, "Audio/window lifetime", WindowStyle::Default, WindowBackend::Default } );
+	}
+};
+
+} // namespace
+
+UTEST( AudioWindowLifetime, PlaybackContinuesAcrossEngineRecreation ) {
+	AudioWindowFixture fixture;
+	auto* window = fixture.createWindow();
+	ASSERT_TRUE( window != nullptr );
+	if ( !fixture.isSDL3() )
+		UTEST_SKIP( "SDL3 lifecycle regression" );
+
+	std::array<Int16, 8192> samples{};
+	SoundBuffer buffer;
+	ASSERT_TRUE( buffer.loadFromSamples( samples.data(), samples.size(), 1, 44100 ) );
+	Sound sound( buffer );
+	sound.setLoop( true );
+	sound.play();
+	for ( int cycle = 0; cycle < 3; ++cycle ) {
+		Engine::destroySingleton();
+		const auto previous = sound.getPlayingOffset();
+		Clock clock;
+		while ( sound.getPlayingOffset() == previous && clock.getElapsedTime() < Seconds( 2 ) )
+			Sys::sleep( Milliseconds( 5 ) );
+		EXPECT_EQ( sound.getStatus(), SoundSource::Playing );
+		EXPECT_TRUE( sound.getPlayingOffset() != previous );
+		ASSERT_TRUE( fixture.createWindow() != nullptr );
+	}
+	sound.stop();
+}
+
+UTEST( AudioWindowLifetime, WorkerCanReleaseLastAudioResourceDuringEngineShutdown ) {
+	AudioWindowFixture fixture;
+	auto* window = fixture.createWindow();
+	ASSERT_TRUE( window != nullptr );
+	if ( !fixture.isSDL3() )
+		UTEST_SKIP( "SDL3 lifecycle regression" );
+
+	for ( int cycle = 0; cycle < 16; ++cycle ) {
+		std::mutex mutex;
+		std::condition_variable condition;
+		bool ready = false;
+		bool release = false;
+		bool loaded = false;
+		std::thread worker( [&] {
+			SoundBuffer buffer;
+			std::array<Int16, 64> samples{};
+			loaded = buffer.loadFromSamples( samples.data(), samples.size(), 1, 44100 );
+			std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock( mutex );
+			ready = true;
+			condition.notify_one();
+			condition.wait( lock, [&] { return release; } );
+			// Both native context and device are released here, on the worker.
+		} );
+		{
+			std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock( mutex );
+			condition.wait( lock, [&] { return ready; } );
+			release = true;
+		}
+		condition.notify_one();
+		Engine::destroySingleton();
+		worker.join();
+		// Join before asserting so a failure cannot leave a joinable thread behind.
+		ASSERT_TRUE( loaded );
+		ASSERT_TRUE( fixture.createWindow() != nullptr );
+	}
+}