diff --git a/src/include/86box/plat.h b/src/include/86box/plat.h
index c60e6d922..8c0651709 100644
--- a/src/include/86box/plat.h
+++ b/src/include/86box/plat.h
@@ -203,6 +203,7 @@ extern void	thread_destroy_event(event_t *arg);
 
 extern mutex_t	*thread_create_mutex(void);
 extern void	thread_close_mutex(mutex_t *arg);
+extern int	thread_test_mutex(mutex_t *arg);
 extern int	thread_wait_mutex(mutex_t *arg);
 extern int	thread_release_mutex(mutex_t *mutex);
 
diff --git a/src/network/network.c b/src/network/network.c
index fad9eacbc..48e3b928b 100644
--- a/src/network/network.c
+++ b/src/network/network.c
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ network_rx_queue(void *priv)
 {
     int ret = 1;
 
-    if (network_rx_pause) {
+    if (network_rx_pause || !thread_test_mutex(network_mutex)) {
 	timer_on_auto(&network_rx_queue_timer, 0.762939453125 * 2.0 * 128.0);
 	return;
     }
diff --git a/src/thread.cpp b/src/thread.cpp
index 4134befba..1003dd871 100644
--- a/src/thread.cpp
+++ b/src/thread.cpp
@@ -37,6 +37,16 @@ thread_create_mutex(void)
     return mutex;
 }
 
+int
+thread_test_mutex(mutex_t *_mutex)
+{
+    if (_mutex == nullptr)
+	return 0;
+
+    auto mutex = reinterpret_cast<std::mutex*>(_mutex);
+    return mutex->try_lock() ? 1 : 0;
+}
+
 int
 thread_wait_mutex(mutex_t *_mutex)
 {