diff --git a/soundio/soundio.h b/soundio/soundio.h
index 09e2c76..567a671 100644
--- a/soundio/soundio.h
+++ b/soundio/soundio.h
@@ -359,7 +359,8 @@ struct SoundIo {
     /// This callback is fired when making thread real-time priority failed. By
     /// default, it will print to stderr only the first time it is called
     /// a message instructing the user how to configure their system to allow
-    /// real-time priority threads.
+    /// real-time priority threads. This must be set to a function not NULL.
+    /// To silence the warning, assign this to a function that does nothing.
     void (*emit_rtprio_warning)(void);
 
     /// Optional: JACK info callback.
diff --git a/src/os.cpp b/src/os.cpp
index a6fe689..8f3f8a6 100644
--- a/src/os.cpp
+++ b/src/os.cpp
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ int soundio_os_thread_create(
     }
 
     if ((err = pthread_create(&thread->id, &thread->attr, run_pthread, thread))) {
-        if (err == EPERM) {
+        if (err == EPERM && emit_rtprio_warning) {
             emit_rtprio_warning();
             err = pthread_create(&thread->id, NULL, run_pthread, thread);
         }