diff --git a/src/setup.py b/src/setup.py
index 1496d55658..eaef3961fb 100755
--- a/src/setup.py
+++ b/src/setup.py
@@ -344,6 +344,13 @@ def add_packages(*pkgs):
     add_modules(*pkgs)
 
 def add_modules(*mods):
+    def add(v):
+        global modules
+        if v not in modules:
+            modules.append(v)
+    do_add_modules(add, *mods)
+
+def do_add_modules(op, *mods):
     """ adds the packages and any .py module found in the packages to the "modules" list
     """
     global modules
@@ -358,8 +365,7 @@ def add_modules(*mods):
         #is this a file module?
         f = "%s.py" % pathname
         if os.path.exists(f) and os.path.isfile(f):
-            if x not in modules:
-                modules.append(x)
+            op(x)
         if os.path.exists(pathname) and os.path.isdir(pathname):
             #add all file modules found in this directory
             for f in os.listdir(pathname):
@@ -369,7 +375,7 @@ def add_modules(*mods):
                     fname = os.path.join(pathname, f)
                     if os.path.isfile(fname):
                         modname = "%s.%s" % (x, f.replace(".py", ""))
-                        modules.append(modname)
+                        op(modname)
 
 def toggle_packages(enabled, *module_names):
     if enabled:
@@ -377,6 +383,17 @@ def toggle_packages(enabled, *module_names):
     else:
         remove_packages(*module_names)
 
+def toggle_modules(enabled, *module_names):
+    if enabled:
+        def op(v):
+            global modules
+            if v not in modules:
+                modules.append(v)
+        do_add_modules(op, *module_names)
+    else:
+        remove_packages(*module_names)
+
+
 #always included:
 add_modules("xpra", "xpra.platform", "xpra.net")
 add_packages("xpra.scripts")
@@ -1425,8 +1442,8 @@ def add_gui_exe(*args):
             #END OF py2exe SECTION
 
         #UI applications (detached from shell: no text output if ran from cmd.exe)
-        add_gui_exe("scripts/xpra",                         "xpra_txt.ico",     "Xpra")
         if client_ENABLED and (gtk2_ENABLED or gtk3_ENABLED):
+            add_gui_exe("scripts/xpra",                         "xpra_txt.ico",     "Xpra")
             add_gui_exe("scripts/xpra_launcher",                "xpra.ico",         "Xpra-Launcher")
             add_gui_exe("xpra/gtk_common/gtk_view_keyboard.py", "keyboard.ico",     "GTK_Keyboard_Test")
             add_gui_exe("xpra/scripts/bug_report.py",           "bugs.ico",         "Bug_Report")
@@ -1452,8 +1469,8 @@ def add_gui_exe(*args):
             add_console_exe("xpra/platform/win32/gui.py",       "loop.ico",         "Events_Test")
         if sound_ENABLED:
             add_console_exe("xpra/sound/gstreamer_util.py",     "gstreamer.ico",    "GStreamer_info")
-            add_console_exe("xpra/sound/src.py",                "microphone.ico",   "Sound_Record")
-            add_console_exe("xpra/sound/sink.py",               "speaker.ico",      "Sound_Play")
+            #add_console_exe("xpra/sound/src.py",                "microphone.ico",   "Sound_Record")
+            #add_console_exe("xpra/sound/sink.py",               "speaker.ico",      "Sound_Play")
         if opengl_ENABLED:
             add_console_exe("xpra/client/gl/gl_check.py",   "opengl.ico",       "OpenGL_check")
         if printing_ENABLED:
@@ -1982,7 +1999,8 @@ def cython_add(*args, **kwargs):
 for x in ("gl_check", "gl_colorspace_conversions", "gl_window_backing_base", "gtk_compat"):
     toggle_packages(client_ENABLED and opengl_ENABLED, "xpra.client.gl.%s" % x)
 
-toggle_packages(sound_ENABLED, "xpra.sound")
+toggle_modules(sound_ENABLED, "xpra.sound")
+toggle_modules(sound_ENABLED and not (OSX or WIN32), "xpra.sound.pulseaudio")
 
 toggle_packages(clipboard_ENABLED, "xpra.clipboard")
 if clipboard_ENABLED:
diff --git a/src/xpra/client/ui_client_base.py b/src/xpra/client/ui_client_base.py
index a366cdc467..42109df19a 100644
--- a/src/xpra/client/ui_client_base.py
+++ b/src/xpra/client/ui_client_base.py
@@ -386,11 +386,12 @@ def show_tray(*args):
         #audio tagging:
         if tray_icon_filename and os.path.exists(tray_icon_filename):
             try:
-                from xpra.sound.pulseaudio_util import set_icon_path
+                from xpra.sound.pulseaudio.pulseaudio_util import set_icon_path
                 set_icon_path(tray_icon_filename)
             except ImportError as e:
-                log.warn("Warning: failed to set pulseaudio tagging icon:")
-                log.warn(" %s", e)
+                if os.name=="posix" and not sys.platform.startswith("darwin"):
+                    log.warn("Warning: failed to set pulseaudio tagging icon:")
+                    log.warn(" %s", e)
 
         if ClientExtras is not None:
             self.client_extras = ClientExtras(self, opts)
@@ -1405,7 +1406,7 @@ def make_hello(self):
             sound_caps["send"] = self.microphone_allowed
             sound_caps["receive"] = self.speaker_allowed
             try:
-                from xpra.sound.pulseaudio_util import get_info as get_pa_info
+                from xpra.sound.pulseaudio.pulseaudio_util import get_info as get_pa_info
                 sound_caps.update(get_pa_info())
             except Exception:
                 pass
diff --git a/src/xpra/server/server_base.py b/src/xpra/server/server_base.py
index 1005813624..350c433c37 100644
--- a/src/xpra/server/server_base.py
+++ b/src/xpra/server/server_base.py
@@ -458,12 +458,13 @@ def vinfo(k):
             self.supports_microphone = False
         if bool(self.sound_properties):
             try:
-                from xpra.sound.pulseaudio_util import set_icon_path, get_info as get_pa_info
+                from xpra.sound.pulseaudio.pulseaudio_util import set_icon_path, get_info as get_pa_info
                 self.sound_properties.update(get_pa_info())
                 set_icon_path(get_icon_filename("xpra.png"))
-            except Exception as e:
-                log.warn("Warning: failed to set pulseaudio tagging icon:")
-                log.warn(" %s", e)
+            except ImportError as e:
+                if os.name=="posix" and not sys.platform.startswith("darwin"):
+                    log.warn("Warning: failed to set pulseaudio tagging icon:")
+                    log.warn(" %s", e)
         soundlog("init_sound_options speaker: supported=%s, encoders=%s", self.supports_speaker, csv(self.speaker_codecs))
         soundlog("init_sound_options microphone: supported=%s, decoders=%s", self.supports_microphone, csv(self.microphone_codecs))
         soundlog("init_sound_options sound properties=%s", self.sound_properties)
diff --git a/src/xpra/sound/gstreamer_util.py b/src/xpra/sound/gstreamer_util.py
index 4a7cc5bedc..b34a8d1fa0 100755
--- a/src/xpra/sound/gstreamer_util.py
+++ b/src/xpra/sound/gstreamer_util.py
@@ -463,12 +463,15 @@ def plugin_str(plugin, options):
 
 def get_source_plugins():
     sources = []
-    from xpra.sound.pulseaudio_util import has_pa
-    #we have to put pulsesrc first if pulseaudio is installed
-    #because using autoaudiosource does not work properly for us:
-    #it may still choose pulse, but without choosing the right device.
-    if has_pa():
-        sources.append("pulsesrc")
+    try:
+        from xpra.sound.pulseaudio.pulseaudio_util import has_pa
+        #we have to put pulsesrc first if pulseaudio is installed
+        #because using autoaudiosource does not work properly for us:
+        #it may still choose pulse, but without choosing the right device.
+        if has_pa():
+            sources.append("pulsesrc")
+    except ImportError as e:
+        log("get_source_plugins() no pulsesrc: %s", e)
     sources.append("autoaudiosrc")
     if OSX:
         sources.append("osxaudiosrc")
@@ -487,10 +490,13 @@ def get_sink_plugins():
         SINKS.append("osxaudiosink")
     elif sys.platform.startswith("win"):
         SINKS.append("directsoundsink")
-    from xpra.sound.pulseaudio_util import has_pa
     SINKS.append("autoaudiosink")
-    if has_pa():
-        SINKS.append("pulsesink")
+    try:
+        from xpra.sound.pulseaudio.pulseaudio_util import has_pa
+        if has_pa():
+            SINKS.append("pulsesink")
+    except ImportError as e:
+        log("get_sink_plugins() no pulsesink: %s", e)
     if os.name=="posix":
         SINKS += ["alsasink", "osssink", "oss4sink", "jackaudiosink"]
     return SINKS
@@ -503,9 +509,12 @@ def get_default_sink():
             log.error("invalid default sound sink: '%s' is not in %s", DEFAULT_SINK, csv(SINKS))
         else:
             return DEFAULT_SINK
-    from xpra.sound.pulseaudio_util import has_pa
-    if has_pa():
-        return "pulsesink"
+    try:
+        from xpra.sound.pulseaudio.pulseaudio_util import has_pa
+        if has_pa():
+            return "pulsesink"
+    except ImportError as e:
+        log("get_default_sink() no pulsesink: %s", e)
     SINKS = get_sink_plugins()
     return SINKS[0]
 
@@ -518,11 +527,16 @@ def get_pulse_defaults(remote):
     """
         choose the device to use
     """
-    from xpra.sound.pulseaudio_util import has_pa, get_pa_device_options, get_default_sink
-    from xpra.sound.pulseaudio_util import get_pulse_server, get_pulse_id, set_source_mute
-    if not has_pa():
-        log.warn("pulseaudio is not available!")
-        return    None
+    try:
+        from xpra.sound.pulseaudio.pulseaudio_util import has_pa, get_pa_device_options, get_default_sink
+        from xpra.sound.pulseaudio.pulseaudio_util import get_pulse_server, get_pulse_id, set_source_mute
+        if not has_pa():
+            log.warn("Warning: pulseaudio is not available!")
+            return None
+    except ImportError as e:
+        log.warn("Warning: pulseaudio is not available!")
+        log.warn(" %s", e)
+        return None
     pa_server = get_pulse_server()
     log("start sound, remote pulseaudio server=%s, local pulseaudio server=%s", remote.pulseaudio_server, pa_server)
     #only worth comparing if we have a real server string
diff --git a/src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio/__init__.py b/src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a3cd83d9e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# This file is part of Xpra.
+# Copyright (C) 2010-2016 Antoine Martin <antoine@devloop.org.uk>
+# Xpra is released under the terms of the GNU GPL v2, or, at your option, any
+# later version. See the file COPYING for details.
diff --git a/src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio_common_util.py b/src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_common_util.py
similarity index 100%
rename from src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio_common_util.py
rename to src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_common_util.py
diff --git a/src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio_none_util.py b/src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_none_util.py
similarity index 100%
rename from src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio_none_util.py
rename to src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_none_util.py
diff --git a/src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio_pactl_util.py b/src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_pactl_util.py
similarity index 98%
rename from src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio_pactl_util.py
rename to src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_pactl_util.py
index 57b6160167..3dd052e672 100755
--- a/src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio_pactl_util.py
+++ b/src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_pactl_util.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 import sys
 import os.path
 
-from xpra.sound.pulseaudio_common_util import get_pulse_server_x11_property, get_pulse_id_x11_property
+from xpra.sound.pulseaudio.pulseaudio_common_util import get_pulse_server_x11_property, get_pulse_id_x11_property
 from xpra.scripts.exec_util import safe_exec
 from xpra.util import nonl
 
diff --git a/src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio_palib_util.py b/src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_palib_util.py
similarity index 97%
rename from src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio_palib_util.py
rename to src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_palib_util.py
index cafdc191b8..f7515f1201 100755
--- a/src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio_palib_util.py
+++ b/src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_palib_util.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 from xpra.log import Logger
 log = Logger("sound")
 #log.enable_debug()
-from xpra.sound.pulseaudio_common_util import get_pulse_server_x11_property, get_pulse_id_x11_property
+from xpra.sound.pulseaudio.pulseaudio_common_util import get_pulse_server_x11_property, get_pulse_id_x11_property
 
 import palib
 
diff --git a/src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio_util.py b/src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_util.py
similarity index 86%
rename from src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio_util.py
rename to src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_util.py
index 4445ed46a2..54f2d4364f 100755
--- a/src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio_util.py
+++ b/src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_util.py
@@ -33,16 +33,16 @@ def add_audio_tagging_env(env_dict=os.environ, icon_path=None):
 try:
     #use "none" on win32 and osx:
     if sys.platform.startswith("win") or sys.platform.startswith("darwin"):
-        from xpra.sound import pulseaudio_none_util as _pulseaudio_util
+        from xpra.sound.pulseaudio import pulseaudio_none_util as _pulseaudio_util
     else:
         if os.environ.get("XPRA_USE_PALIB", "0")=="1":
-            from xpra.sound import pulseaudio_palib_util as _pulseaudio_util
+            from xpra.sound.pulseaudio import pulseaudio_palib_util as _pulseaudio_util
         else:
-            from xpra.sound import pulseaudio_pactl_util as  _pulseaudio_util       #@Reimport
+            from xpra.sound.pulseaudio import pulseaudio_pactl_util as _pulseaudio_util
 except ImportError as e:
     #fallback forks a process and parses the output:
     log("using pulseaudio none fallback")
-    from xpra.sound import pulseaudio_none_util as _pulseaudio_util
+    from xpra.sound.pulseaudio import pulseaudio_none_util as _pulseaudio_util
 
 get_info                = _pulseaudio_util.get_info
 has_pa                  = _pulseaudio_util.has_pa
diff --git a/src/xpra/sound/src.py b/src/xpra/sound/src.py
index f32bc0dd10..63be2e830f 100755
--- a/src/xpra/sound/src.py
+++ b/src/xpra/sound/src.py
@@ -32,9 +32,14 @@ class SoundSource(SoundPipeline):
 
     def __init__(self, src_type=None, src_options={}, codecs=get_codecs(), codec_options={}, volume=1.0):
         if not src_type:
-            from xpra.sound.pulseaudio_util import get_pa_device_options
-            monitor_devices = get_pa_device_options(True, False)
-            log.info("found pulseaudio monitor devices: %s", monitor_devices)
+            try:
+                from xpra.sound.pulseaudio.pulseaudio_util import get_pa_device_options
+                monitor_devices = get_pa_device_options(True, False)
+                log.info("found pulseaudio monitor devices: %s", monitor_devices)
+            except ImportError as e:
+                log.warn("Warning: pulseaudio is not available!")
+                log.warn(" %s", e)
+                monitor_devices = []
             if len(monitor_devices)==0:
                 log.warn("could not detect any pulseaudio monitor devices")
                 log.warn(" a test source will be used instead")
@@ -273,7 +278,7 @@ def main():
         try:
             from xpra.platform.paths import get_icon_filename
             f = get_icon_filename("xpra.png")
-            from xpra.sound.pulseaudio_util import add_audio_tagging_env
+            from xpra.sound.pulseaudio.pulseaudio_util import add_audio_tagging_env
             add_audio_tagging_env(icon_path=f)
         except Exception as e:
             log.warn("failed to setup pulseaudio tagging: %s", e)
diff --git a/src/xpra/sound/wrapper.py b/src/xpra/sound/wrapper.py
index a9d5019d73..03a6ea605a 100644
--- a/src/xpra/sound/wrapper.py
+++ b/src/xpra/sound/wrapper.py
@@ -208,12 +208,13 @@ def __init__(self, description):
 
     def get_env(self):
         env = subprocess_caller.get_env(self)
-        try:
-            from xpra.sound.pulseaudio_util import add_audio_tagging_env
-            add_audio_tagging_env(env)
-        except Exception as e:
-            log.warn("Warning: failed to set pulseaudio tagging:")
-            log.warn(" %s", e)
+        if os.name=="posix" and not sys.platform.startswith("darwin"):
+            try:
+                from xpra.sound.pulseaudio.pulseaudio_util import add_audio_tagging_env
+                add_audio_tagging_env(env)
+            except ImportError as e:
+                log.warn("Warning: failed to set pulseaudio tagging:")
+                log.warn(" %s", e)
         return env
 
     def start(self):