diff --git a/internal/audio/cgo_source.go b/internal/audio/cgo_source.go
index 02cb259f..9cc07a4a 100644
--- a/internal/audio/cgo_source.go
+++ b/internal/audio/cgo_source.go
@@ -167,17 +167,21 @@ func (c *CgoSource) IsConnected() bool {
 }
 
 func (c *CgoSource) ReadMessage() (uint8, []byte, error) {
+	// Check connection status with mutex
 	c.mu.Lock()
-	defer c.mu.Unlock()
-
 	if !c.connected {
+		c.mu.Unlock()
 		return 0, nil, fmt.Errorf("not connected")
 	}
 
 	if c.direction != "output" {
+		c.mu.Unlock()
 		return 0, nil, fmt.Errorf("ReadMessage only supported for output direction")
 	}
+	c.mu.Unlock()
 
+	// Call C function without holding mutex to avoid deadlock
+	// The C layer has its own locking and handles stop requests
 	opusSize := C.jetkvm_audio_read_encode(unsafe.Pointer(&c.opusBuf[0]))
 	if opusSize < 0 {
 		return 0, nil, fmt.Errorf("jetkvm_audio_read_encode failed: %d", opusSize)
@@ -195,16 +199,18 @@ func (c *CgoSource) ReadMessage() (uint8, []byte, error) {
 }
 
 func (c *CgoSource) WriteMessage(msgType uint8, payload []byte) error {
+	// Check connection status and validate parameters with mutex
 	c.mu.Lock()
-	defer c.mu.Unlock()
-
 	if !c.connected {
+		c.mu.Unlock()
 		return fmt.Errorf("not connected")
 	}
 
 	if c.direction != "input" {
+		c.mu.Unlock()
 		return fmt.Errorf("WriteMessage only supported for input direction")
 	}
+	c.mu.Unlock()
 
 	if msgType != ipcMsgTypeOpus {
 		return nil
@@ -218,6 +224,8 @@ func (c *CgoSource) WriteMessage(msgType uint8, payload []byte) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("opus packet too large: %d bytes (max 1500)", len(payload))
 	}
 
+	// Call C function without holding mutex to avoid deadlock
+	// The C layer has its own locking and handles stop requests
 	rc := C.jetkvm_audio_decode_write(unsafe.Pointer(&payload[0]), C.int(len(payload)))
 	if rc < 0 {
 		return fmt.Errorf("jetkvm_audio_decode_write failed: %d", rc)