diff --git a/code/__DEFINES/sound.dm b/code/__DEFINES/sound.dm
index ba2bb37743f..2654e33644f 100644
--- a/code/__DEFINES/sound.dm
+++ b/code/__DEFINES/sound.dm
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 //THIS SHOULD ALWAYS BE THE LOWEST ONE!
 //KEEP IT UPDATED
 
-#define CHANNEL_HIGHEST_AVAILABLE 1016
+#define CHANNEL_HIGHEST_AVAILABLE 1015
 
 #define MAX_INSTRUMENT_CHANNELS (128 * 6)
 
diff --git a/code/datums/looping_sounds/looping_sound.dm b/code/datums/looping_sounds/looping_sound.dm
index 4a3f1108ffd..2cd87ae81b2 100644
--- a/code/datums/looping_sounds/looping_sound.dm
+++ b/code/datums/looping_sounds/looping_sound.dm
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
 
 /datum/looping_sound/proc/start(atom/add_thing)
 	if(add_thing)
-		output_atoms |= add_thing
+		LAZYADD(output_atoms, add_thing)
 	if(!muted)
 		return
 	muted = FALSE
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@
 
 /datum/looping_sound/proc/stop(atom/remove_thing, do_not_mute)
 	if(remove_thing)
-		output_atoms -= remove_thing
-		if(do_not_mute)
+		LAZYREMOVE(output_atoms, remove_thing)
+		if(do_not_mute && length(output_atoms)) //if there are no output_atoms then we mute regardless of your preferance
 			return
 	if(muted)
 		return
@@ -80,8 +80,7 @@
 	var/sound/S = sound(soundfile)
 	if(direct)
 		S.channel = channel || SSsounds.random_available_channel()
-	for(var/i in 1 to atoms_cache.len)
-		var/atom/thing = atoms_cache[i]
+	for(var/atom/thing in atoms_cache)
 		if(direct)
 			if(ismob(thing))
 				var/mob/M = thing