diff --git a/alsa_in.c b/alsa_in.c
index 43a030e..4c7834c 100644
--- a/alsa_in.c
+++ b/alsa_in.c
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ double offset_integral = 0;
 
 // ------------------------------------------------------ commandline parameters
 
+const char* alsa_device = "hw:0";
 int sample_rate = 0;				 /* stream rate */
 int num_channels = 2;				 /* count of channels */
 int period_size = 1024;
@@ -272,7 +273,7 @@ static int set_swparams(snd_pcm_t *handle, snd_pcm_sw_params_t *swparams, int pe
 
 // ok... i only need this function to communicate with the alsa bloat api...
 
-static snd_pcm_t *open_audiofd( char *device_name, int capture, int rate, int channels, int period, int nperiods ) {
+static snd_pcm_t *open_audiofd( const char *device_name, int capture, int rate, int channels, int period, int nperiods ) {
   int err;
   snd_pcm_t *handle;
   snd_pcm_hw_params_t *hwparams;
@@ -306,6 +307,17 @@ double hann( double x )
 	return 0.5 * (1.0 - cos( 2*M_PI * x ) );
 }
 
+void freewheel (int freewheel_starting, void *ignored_arg)
+{
+        if( freewheel_starting ) {
+                snd_pcm_close( alsa_handle );
+        } else {
+                alsa_handle = open_audiofd( alsa_device, 1, sample_rate, num_channels, period_size, num_periods);
+                if( alsa_handle == 0 )
+                        exit(20);
+        }
+}
+
 /**
  * The process callback for this JACK application.
  * It is called by JACK at the appropriate times.
@@ -318,6 +330,11 @@ int process (jack_nframes_t nframes, void *arg) {
     int put_back_samples=0;
     int i;
 
+    if (alsa_handle == 0) {
+            /* freewheeling, or some other error */
+            return 0;
+    }
+    
     delay = snd_pcm_avail( alsa_handle );
 
     delay -= jack_frames_since_cycle_start( client );
@@ -593,7 +610,6 @@ sigterm_handler( int signal )
 
 int main (int argc, char *argv[]) {
     char jack_name[30] = "alsa_in";
-    char alsa_device[30] = "hw:0";
 
     extern char *optarg;
     extern int optind, optopt;
@@ -618,7 +634,7 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[]) {
 		num_periods = atoi(optarg);
 		break;
 	    case 'd':
-		strcpy(alsa_device,optarg);
+                alsa_device = strdup (optarg);
 		break;
 	    case 't':
 		target_delay = atoi(optarg);
@@ -681,6 +697,10 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[]) {
 
     jack_set_process_callback (client, process, 0);
 
+    /* handle freewheeling */
+
+    jack_set_freewheel_callback (client, freewheel, 0);
+
     /* tell the JACK server to call `jack_shutdown()' if
        it ever shuts down, either entirely, or if it
        just decides to stop calling us.