diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9a65b3ec..37992583 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ Shairport Sync does not support AirPlay video or photo streaming.
 
 # Quick Start
 * A building guide is available [here](BUILD.md).
-* A Docker image is available on the [Docker Hub](https://hub.docker.com/r/mikebrady/shairport-sync).
+* A Docker image is available on the [Docker Hub](https://hub.docker.com/r/mikebrady/shairport-sync). Also see [docker/README.md](docker/README.md).
 * Next Steps and Advanced Topics are [here](ADVANCED%20TOPICS/README.md).
 * Runtime settings are documented [here](scripts/shairport-sync.conf).
 * Build configuration options are detailed in [CONFIGURATION FLAGS.md](CONFIGURATION%20FLAGS.md).
diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile b/docker/Dockerfile
index dd21bb8b..3ce13cb0 100644
--- a/docker/Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile
@@ -8,25 +8,26 @@ ARG NQPTP_BRANCH
 RUN test -n "$NQPTP_BRANCH"
 
 RUN apk -U add \
-        git \
-        build-base \
+        alsa-lib-dev \
         autoconf \
         automake \
-        libtool \
-        dbus \
-        alsa-lib-dev \
-        popt-dev \
-        soxr-dev \
         avahi-dev \
-        libconfig-dev \
-        libsndfile-dev \
-        mosquitto-dev \
-        libsodium-dev \
-        libgcrypt-dev \
+        build-base \
+        dbus \
         ffmpeg-dev \
-        xxd \
+        git \
+        libconfig-dev \
+        libgcrypt-dev \
+        libplist-dev \
         libressl-dev \
-        libplist-dev
+        libsndfile-dev \
+        libsodium-dev \
+        libtool \
+        mosquitto-dev \
+        popt-dev \
+        pulseaudio-dev \
+        soxr-dev \
+        xxd
 
 ##### ALAC #####
 RUN git clone https://github.com/mikebrady/alac
@@ -55,8 +56,8 @@ COPY . .
 RUN git checkout "$SHAIRPORT_SYNC_BRANCH"
 WORKDIR /shairport-sync/build
 RUN autoreconf -i ../
-RUN ../configure --sysconfdir=/etc --with-alsa --with-soxr --with-avahi --with-ssl=openssl --with-airplay-2 \
-        --with-metadata --with-dummy --with-pipe --with-dbus-interface \
+RUN ../configure --sysconfdir=/etc --with-alsa --with-pa --with-soxr --with-avahi --with-ssl=openssl \
+        --with-airplay-2 --with-metadata --with-dummy --with-pipe --with-dbus-interface \
         --with-stdout --with-mpris-interface --with-mqtt-client \
         --with-apple-alac --with-convolution
 RUN make -j $(nproc)
@@ -69,25 +70,26 @@ FROM crazymax/alpine-s6:3.17-3.1.1.2
 
 RUN apk -U add \
         alsa-lib \
-        dbus \
-        popt \
-        glib \
-        soxr \
         avahi \
         avahi-tools \
-        libconfig \
-        libsndfile \
-        mosquitto \
-        libuuid \
+        dbus \
         ffmpeg \
-        libsodium \
-        libgcrypt \
-        libressl3.6-libcrypto \
-        libplist \
-        mandoc \
-        man-pages \
+        glib \
         less \
-        less-doc
+        less-doc \
+        libconfig \
+        libgcrypt \
+        libplist \
+        libpulse \
+        libressl3.6-libcrypto \
+        libsndfile \
+        libsodium \
+        libuuid \
+        man-pages \
+        mandoc \
+        mosquitto \
+        popt \
+        soxr
 
 # Copy build files.
 COPY --from=builder /shairport-sync/build/install/usr/local/bin/shairport-sync /usr/local/bin/shairport-sync
@@ -100,6 +102,7 @@ COPY --from=builder /shairport-sync/build/install/etc/dbus-1/system.d/shairport-
 COPY --from=builder /shairport-sync/build/install/etc/dbus-1/system.d/shairport-sync-mpris.conf /etc/dbus-1/system.d/
 
 COPY ./docker/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d /etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d
+COPY ./docker/etc/pulse /etc/pulse
 RUN chmod +x /etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/01-startup/script.sh
 
 # Create non-root user for running the container -- running as the user 'shairport-sync' also allows
diff --git a/docker/README.md b/docker/README.md
index 560dc89b..6caf1c4d 100644
--- a/docker/README.md
+++ b/docker/README.md
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ $ docker run -d --restart unless-stopped --net host --device /dev/snd \
 ```
 This will send audio to alsa hardware device `hw:0` and make use of the that device's mixer control called `PCM`. The service will be visible as `DenSystem` on the network.
 
+The image is built with PulseAudio backend support. To use it, refer to [`docker-compose.yaml`](docker-compose.yaml) for required environment variables and mounts. You might need to adjust authentication on your PulseAudio server ([PA documentation](https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/PulseAudio/Documentation/User/Modules/#module-native-protocol-unixtcp)) and set default backend to `pa` via either command line option `-o` or `general.output_backend` field in config file.
+
 ## Configuration File
 
 To get access to the full range of configuration options, pass the configuration file to `/etc/shairport-sync.conf` in the container using the `-v` option or docker compose.
diff --git a/docker/classic/Dockerfile b/docker/classic/Dockerfile
index 3d072a55..960822f3 100644
--- a/docker/classic/Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/classic/Dockerfile
@@ -8,20 +8,21 @@ ARG SHAIRPORT_SYNC_BRANCH
 RUN test -n "$SHAIRPORT_SYNC_BRANCH"
 
 RUN apk -U add \
-        git \
-        build-base \
+        alsa-lib-dev \
         autoconf \
         automake \
-        libtool \
-        dbus \
-        alsa-lib-dev \
-        popt-dev \
-        mbedtls-dev \
-        soxr-dev \
         avahi-dev \
+        build-base \
+        dbus \
+        git \
         libconfig-dev \
+        libsndfile-dev \
+        libtool \
+        mbedtls-dev \
         mosquitto-dev \
-        libsndfile-dev
+        popt-dev \
+        pulseaudio-dev \
+        soxr-dev
 
 ##### ALAC #####
 RUN git clone https://github.com/mikebrady/alac
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ COPY . .
 RUN git checkout "$SHAIRPORT_SYNC_BRANCH"
 WORKDIR /shairport-sync/build
 RUN autoreconf -i ../
-RUN ../configure --sysconfdir=/etc --with-alsa --with-soxr --with-avahi --with-ssl=mbedtls \
+RUN ../configure --sysconfdir=/etc --with-alsa --with-pa --with-soxr --with-avahi --with-ssl=mbedtls \
         --with-metadata --with-dummy --with-pipe --with-dbus-interface \
         --with-stdout --with-mpris-interface --with-mqtt-client \
         --with-apple-alac --with-convolution
@@ -53,20 +54,21 @@ FROM crazymax/alpine-s6:3.17-3.1.1.2
 
 RUN apk -U add \
         alsa-lib \
-        dbus \
-        popt \
-        glib \
-        mbedtls \
-        soxr \
         avahi \
         avahi-tools \
-        libconfig \
-        mosquitto \
-        libsndfile-dev \
-        mandoc \
-        man-pages \
+        dbus \
+        glib \
         less \
-        less-doc
+        less-doc \
+        libconfig \
+        libsndfile-dev \
+        libpulse \
+        man-pages \
+        mandoc \
+        mbedtls \
+        mosquitto \
+        popt \
+        soxr
 
 # Copy build files.
 COPY --from=builder /shairport-sync/build/install/usr/local/bin/shairport-sync /usr/local/bin/shairport-sync
diff --git a/docker/docker-compose.yaml b/docker/docker-compose.yaml
index 88831298..563622d6 100644
--- a/docker/docker-compose.yaml
+++ b/docker/docker-compose.yaml
@@ -5,10 +5,14 @@ services:
     image: mikebrady/shairport-sync:latest
     network_mode: host
     restart: unless-stopped
+    # environment:
+    #  PULSE_SERVER: unix:/tmp/pulseaudio.socket # Path for PulseAudio socket
+    #  PULSE_COOKIE: /tmp/pulseaudio.cookie # Path for PulseAudio cookie
     devices:
-      - "/dev/snd"
+      - "/dev/snd" # ALSA device
     # volumes:
     #   - ./volumes/shairport-sync/shairport-sync.conf:/etc/shairport-sync.conf # Customised Shairport Sync configuration file.
+    #   - /run/user/1000/pulse/native:/tmp/pulseaudio.socket # PulseAudio socket when using that backend
     logging:
       options:
         max-size: "200k"
diff --git a/docker/etc/pulse/client.conf b/docker/etc/pulse/client.conf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5fbb34d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/etc/pulse/client.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+default-server = unix:/tmp/pulseaudio.socket
+# Prevent a server running in the container
+autospawn = no
+daemon-binary = /bin/true
+# Prevent the use of shared memory
+enable-shm = false