diff --git a/rc.lua b/rc.lua
index c219fdf..8ed6f1e 100644
--- a/rc.lua
+++ b/rc.lua
@@ -391,17 +391,17 @@ root.buttons(awful.util.table.join(
 globalkeys = awful.util.table.join(
     -- Volume control --
     awful.key({ modkey }, ".", function ()
-    awful.util.spawn("amixer set Master 9%+") end),
+    os.execute("pgrep -x amixer || amixer set Master 1%+") end),
     awful.key({ modkey }, ",", function ()
-    awful.util.spawn("amixer set Master 9%-") end),
+    os.execute("pgrep -x amixer || amixer set Master 1%-") end),
     awful.key({ modkey }, "/", function ()
     awful.util.spawn("amixer sset Master toggle") end),
 
     -- Volume control --
     awful.key({ }, "XF86AudioRaiseVolume", function ()
-    awful.util.spawn("amixer set Master 9%+") end),
+    os.execute("pgrep -x amixer || amixer set Master 1%+") end),
     awful.key({ }, "XF86AudioLowerVolume", function ()
-    awful.util.spawn("amixer set Master 9%-") end),
+    os.execute("pgrep -x amixer || amixer set Master 1%-") end),
     awful.key({ }, "XF86AudioMute", function ()
     awful.util.spawn("amixer sset Master toggle") end),
 
diff --git a/wi.lua b/wi.lua
index aa5fcf6..ee1a425 100644
--- a/wi.lua
+++ b/wi.lua
@@ -73,16 +73,16 @@ volicon:set_image(beautiful.widget_vol)
 volicon:buttons(
     awful.util.table.join(
         awful.button({ }, 1, function () awful.util.spawn("urxvt -e alsamixer --view=all") end),
-        awful.button({ }, 4, function () awful.util.spawn("amixer set Master 1%+") end),
-        awful.button({ }, 5, function () awful.util.spawn("amixer set Master 1%-") end)
+        awful.button({ }, 4, function () os.execute("pgrep -x amixer || amixer set Master 1%+") end),
+        awful.button({ }, 5, function () os.execute("pgrep -x amixer || amixer set Master 1%-") end)
     )
 )
 volpct = wibox.widget.textbox()
 volpct:buttons(
     awful.util.table.join(
         awful.button({ }, 1, function () awful.util.spawn("urxvt -e alsamixer --view=all") end),
-        awful.button({ }, 4, function () awful.util.spawn("amixer set Master 1%+") end),
-        awful.button({ }, 5, function () awful.util.spawn("amixer set Master 1%-") end)
+        awful.button({ }, 4, function () os.execute("pgrep -x amixer || amixer set Master 1%+") end),
+        awful.button({ }, 5, function () os.execute("pgrep -x amixer || amixer set Master 1%-") end)
     )
 )
 vicious.register(volpct, vicious.widgets.volume, "$1% ", nil, "Master")