diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/AudioBackend.h b/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/AudioBackend.h
index bc07a1e46..037b36fbb 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/AudioBackend.h
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/AudioBackend.h
@@ -380,6 +380,23 @@ public:
 		}
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Callbacks the backend could not fill completely, and had to pad.
+	 *
+	 * A padded callback is a hole in the output -- the device asked for N frames of audio and the
+	 * emulator did not have them, so the gap is filled by repeating the last sample. That is what
+	 * crackling IS, and until now nothing counted it: the buffer-level report samples every ten
+	 * seconds and a starved callback lasts milliseconds, so every transient underrun passed
+	 * between samples unseen. Counted here rather than per backend so Cubeb and Oboe report the
+	 * same number the same way.
+	 *
+	 * Monotonic; readers take deltas.
+	 */
+	atomic_t<u64> m_underruns{0};
+
+public:
+	u64 get_underruns() const { return m_underruns; }
+
 protected:
 	void setup_channel_layout(u32 input_channel_count, u32 output_channel_count, audio_channel_layout layout, logs::channel& log);
 
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/Cubeb/CubebBackend.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/Cubeb/CubebBackend.cpp
index 192cd0718..579013114 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/Cubeb/CubebBackend.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/Cubeb/CubebBackend.cpp
@@ -433,6 +433,14 @@ long CubebBackend::data_cb(cubeb_stream* stream, void* user_ptr, void const* /*
 			memcpy(cubeb->m_last_sample.data(), static_cast<u8*>(output_buffer) + written - sample_size, sample_size);
 		}
 
+		// One count per starved callback -- see AudioBackend::m_underruns. This is the hole the
+		// player hears as a crackle, and it was previously invisible: the buffer-level report
+		// samples every ten seconds and this lasts milliseconds.
+		if (written < bytes_req)
+		{
+			cubeb->m_underruns++;
+		}
+
 		for (u32 i = written; i < bytes_req; i += sample_size)
 		{
 			memcpy(static_cast<u8*>(output_buffer) + i, cubeb->m_last_sample.data(), sample_size);
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/Oboe/OboeBackend.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/Oboe/OboeBackend.cpp
index 78333df0e..83fffb279 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/Oboe/OboeBackend.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Audio/Oboe/OboeBackend.cpp
@@ -274,6 +274,13 @@ oboe::DataCallbackResult OboeBackend::onAudioReady(oboe::AudioStream* /*stream*/
 		}
 	}
 
+	// One count per starved callback, not per padded frame: the audible event is the gap, and
+	// its length is already implied by how much of the callback had to be invented.
+	if (written < bytes_req)
+	{
+		m_underruns++;
+	}
+
 	// Pad the remainder by repeating the last sample. Holding a value is much less audible
 	// than a hole, and the emulator legitimately runs dry whenever it stalls.
 	for (u32 i = written; i < bytes_req; i += sample_size)
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellAudio.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellAudio.cpp
index 2983f4895..14d38648a 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellAudio.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellAudio.cpp
@@ -953,8 +953,15 @@ void cell_audio_thread::operator()()
 			{
 				m_last_buffer_report = timestamp;
 
+				// Underruns SINCE THE LAST LINE, not since boot: what matters is whether the
+				// output is breaking up now, and a running total from a rough patch minutes ago
+				// hides that. Non-zero here is crackling, measured rather than inferred.
+				const u64 underruns_total = cfg.backend ? cfg.backend->get_underruns() : 0;
+				const u64 underruns = underruns_total - m_last_underruns;
+				m_last_underruns = underruns_total;
+
 				cellAudio.notice("Audio buffer: queued=%.1fms target=%.1fms (%.0f%%) period=%.0f%% "
-					"blocks=%u ports=%u untouched=%u avg=%.2f ratio=%.2f",
+					"blocks=%u ports=%u untouched=%u avg=%.2f ratio=%.2f underruns=%u",
 					enqueued_playtime / 1000.0,
 					desired_duration_adjusted / 1000.0,
 					desired_duration_rate * 100.0f,
@@ -963,7 +970,8 @@ void cell_audio_thread::operator()()
 					active_ports,
 					untouched,
 					average_playtime_ratio,
-					frequency_ratio);
+					frequency_ratio,
+					underruns);
 			}
 
 			const s64 time_left = m_dynamic_period - time_since_last_period;
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellAudio.h b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellAudio.h
index 1e2e00d98..aeb3e50a2 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellAudio.h
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellAudio.h
@@ -412,6 +412,9 @@ public:
 
 	// Timestamp of the last "Audio buffer:" line, so it stays at one per 10s.
 	u64 m_last_buffer_report = 0;
+
+	// Backend underrun total at that line, so the next one can report the delta.
+	u64 m_last_underruns = 0;
 	f32 m_average_playtime = 0.0f;
 	bool m_backend_failed = false;
 	bool m_audio_should_restart = false;