diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index b185dad..9d8213f 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -234,6 +234,10 @@ fn build_ui(application: &gtk::Application) {
 }
 
 fn main() {
+    // instantiate rodio before gtk and don't do anything with it
+    // this is silly but it's the easiest way to prevent cpal crashing on windows
+    rodio::default_output_device().unwrap();
+
     let application = gtk::Application::new(
         Some("dev.tinybird.max.lull"),
         Default::default()