diff --git a/sound/usb/line6/capture.c b/sound/usb/line6/capture.c
index 0228cb4bdfcf..7c812565f90d 100644
--- a/sound/usb/line6/capture.c
+++ b/sound/usb/line6/capture.c
@@ -232,6 +232,8 @@ static int snd_line6_capture_open(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream)
 	if (err < 0)
 		return err;
 
+	line6_pcm_acquire(line6pcm, LINE6_STREAM_CAPTURE_HELPER, false);
+
 	runtime->hw = line6pcm->properties->capture_hw;
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -239,6 +241,9 @@ static int snd_line6_capture_open(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream)
 /* close capture callback */
 static int snd_line6_capture_close(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream)
 {
+	struct snd_line6_pcm *line6pcm = snd_pcm_substream_chip(substream);
+
+	line6_pcm_release(line6pcm, LINE6_STREAM_CAPTURE_HELPER);
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/sound/usb/line6/driver.h b/sound/usb/line6/driver.h
index 2d3213912d4c..0bcab38ac10d 100644
--- a/sound/usb/line6/driver.h
+++ b/sound/usb/line6/driver.h
@@ -100,8 +100,10 @@ enum {
 	LINE6_CAP_CONTROL =	1 << 0,
 	/* device supports PCM input/output via USB */
 	LINE6_CAP_PCM =		1 << 1,
-	/* device support hardware monitoring */
+	/* device supports hardware monitoring */
 	LINE6_CAP_HWMON =	1 << 2,
+	/* device requires output data when input is read */
+	LINE6_CAP_IN_NEEDS_OUT = 1 << 3,
 };
 
 /*
diff --git a/sound/usb/line6/pcm.c b/sound/usb/line6/pcm.c
index a5a44309bc9d..fab53f58d447 100644
--- a/sound/usb/line6/pcm.c
+++ b/sound/usb/line6/pcm.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ static int snd_line6_impulse_volume_put(struct snd_kcontrol *kcontrol,
 
 	line6pcm->impulse_volume = value;
 	if (value > 0) {
-		err = line6_pcm_acquire(line6pcm, LINE6_STREAM_IMPULSE);
+		err = line6_pcm_acquire(line6pcm, LINE6_STREAM_IMPULSE, true);
 		if (err < 0) {
 			line6pcm->impulse_volume = 0;
 			return err;
@@ -242,6 +242,14 @@ int snd_line6_trigger(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream, int cmd)
 		switch (cmd) {
 		case SNDRV_PCM_TRIGGER_START:
 		case SNDRV_PCM_TRIGGER_RESUME:
+			if (s->stream == SNDRV_PCM_STREAM_CAPTURE &&
+				(line6pcm->line6->properties->capabilities &
+					LINE6_CAP_IN_NEEDS_OUT)) {
+				err = line6_stream_start(line6pcm, SNDRV_PCM_STREAM_PLAYBACK,
+						 LINE6_STREAM_CAPTURE_HELPER);
+				if (err < 0)
+					return err;
+			}
 			err = line6_stream_start(line6pcm, s->stream,
 						 LINE6_STREAM_PCM);
 			if (err < 0)
@@ -250,6 +258,12 @@ int snd_line6_trigger(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream, int cmd)
 
 		case SNDRV_PCM_TRIGGER_STOP:
 		case SNDRV_PCM_TRIGGER_SUSPEND:
+			if (s->stream == SNDRV_PCM_STREAM_CAPTURE &&
+				(line6pcm->line6->properties->capabilities &
+					LINE6_CAP_IN_NEEDS_OUT)) {
+				line6_stream_stop(line6pcm, SNDRV_PCM_STREAM_PLAYBACK,
+					  LINE6_STREAM_CAPTURE_HELPER);
+			}
 			line6_stream_stop(line6pcm, s->stream,
 					  LINE6_STREAM_PCM);
 			break;
@@ -283,14 +297,15 @@ snd_pcm_uframes_t snd_line6_pointer(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream)
 	return pstr->pos_done;
 }
 
-/* Acquire and start duplex streams:
+/* Acquire and optionally start duplex streams:
  * type is either LINE6_STREAM_IMPULSE or LINE6_STREAM_MONITOR
  */
-int line6_pcm_acquire(struct snd_line6_pcm *line6pcm, int type)
+int line6_pcm_acquire(struct snd_line6_pcm *line6pcm, int type, bool start)
 {
 	struct line6_pcm_stream *pstr;
 	int ret = 0, dir;
 
+	/* TODO: We should assert SNDRV_PCM_STREAM_PLAYBACK/CAPTURE == 0/1 */
 	mutex_lock(&line6pcm->state_mutex);
 	for (dir = 0; dir < 2; dir++) {
 		pstr = get_stream(line6pcm, dir);
@@ -300,10 +315,12 @@ int line6_pcm_acquire(struct snd_line6_pcm *line6pcm, int type)
 		if (!pstr->running)
 			line6_wait_clear_audio_urbs(line6pcm, pstr);
 	}
-	for (dir = 0; dir < 2; dir++) {
-		ret = line6_stream_start(line6pcm, dir, type);
-		if (ret < 0)
-			goto error;
+	if (start) {
+		for (dir = 0; dir < 2; dir++) {
+			ret = line6_stream_start(line6pcm, dir, type);
+			if (ret < 0)
+				goto error;
+		}
 	}
  error:
 	mutex_unlock(&line6pcm->state_mutex);
diff --git a/sound/usb/line6/pcm.h b/sound/usb/line6/pcm.h
index 67fda315aa89..bb0c9cbf2a78 100644
--- a/sound/usb/line6/pcm.h
+++ b/sound/usb/line6/pcm.h
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ enum {
 	LINE6_STREAM_PCM,
 	LINE6_STREAM_MONITOR,
 	LINE6_STREAM_IMPULSE,
+	LINE6_STREAM_CAPTURE_HELPER,
 };
 
 /* misc bit flags for PCM operation */
@@ -191,7 +192,8 @@ extern int snd_line6_hw_params(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 extern int snd_line6_hw_free(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream);
 extern snd_pcm_uframes_t snd_line6_pointer(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream);
 extern void line6_pcm_disconnect(struct snd_line6_pcm *line6pcm);
-extern int line6_pcm_acquire(struct snd_line6_pcm *line6pcm, int type);
+extern int line6_pcm_acquire(struct snd_line6_pcm *line6pcm, int type,
+			       bool start);
 extern void line6_pcm_release(struct snd_line6_pcm *line6pcm, int type);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/sound/usb/line6/toneport.c b/sound/usb/line6/toneport.c
index da76e030eefc..8e22f430d700 100644
--- a/sound/usb/line6/toneport.c
+++ b/sound/usb/line6/toneport.c
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ static int snd_toneport_monitor_put(struct snd_kcontrol *kcontrol,
 	line6pcm->volume_monitor = ucontrol->value.integer.value[0];
 
 	if (line6pcm->volume_monitor > 0) {
-		err = line6_pcm_acquire(line6pcm, LINE6_STREAM_MONITOR);
+		err = line6_pcm_acquire(line6pcm, LINE6_STREAM_MONITOR, true);
 		if (err < 0) {
 			line6pcm->volume_monitor = 0;
 			line6_pcm_release(line6pcm, LINE6_STREAM_MONITOR);
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ static void toneport_start_pcm(unsigned long arg)
 	struct usb_line6_toneport *toneport = (struct usb_line6_toneport *)arg;
 	struct usb_line6 *line6 = &toneport->line6;
 
-	line6_pcm_acquire(line6->line6pcm, LINE6_STREAM_MONITOR);
+	line6_pcm_acquire(line6->line6pcm, LINE6_STREAM_MONITOR, true);
 }
 
 /* control definition */