diff --git a/spa/include/spa/param/audio/format-utils.h b/spa/include/spa/param/audio/format-utils.h
index 6ee8f9335..55ccec329 100644
--- a/spa/include/spa/param/audio/format-utils.h
+++ b/spa/include/spa/param/audio/format-utils.h
@@ -47,9 +47,9 @@ spa_format_audio_raw_parse(const struct spa_pod *format, struct spa_audio_info_r
 	info->flags = 0;
 	res = spa_pod_parse_object(format,
 			SPA_TYPE_OBJECT_Format, NULL,
-			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_format,	SPA_POD_Id(&info->format),
-			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_rate,		SPA_POD_Int(&info->rate),
-			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_channels,	SPA_POD_Int(&info->channels),
+			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_format,	SPA_POD_OPT_Id(&info->format),
+			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_rate,		SPA_POD_OPT_Int(&info->rate),
+			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_channels,	SPA_POD_OPT_Int(&info->channels),
 			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_position,	SPA_POD_OPT_Pod(&position));
 	if (position == NULL ||
 	    !spa_pod_copy_array(position, SPA_TYPE_Id, info->position, SPA_AUDIO_MAX_CHANNELS))
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ spa_format_audio_dsp_parse(const struct spa_pod *format, struct spa_audio_info_d
 	int res;
 	res = spa_pod_parse_object(format,
 			SPA_TYPE_OBJECT_Format, NULL,
-			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_format,	SPA_POD_Id(&info->format));
+			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_format,	SPA_POD_OPT_Id(&info->format));
 	return res;
 }
 
@@ -74,8 +74,8 @@ spa_format_audio_iec958_parse(const struct spa_pod *format, struct spa_audio_inf
 	int res;
 	res = spa_pod_parse_object(format,
 			SPA_TYPE_OBJECT_Format, NULL,
-			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_iec958Codec,	SPA_POD_Id(&info->codec),
-			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_rate,		SPA_POD_Int(&info->rate));
+			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_iec958Codec,	SPA_POD_OPT_Id(&info->codec),
+			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_rate,		SPA_POD_OPT_Int(&info->rate));
 	return res;
 }
 
@@ -87,10 +87,10 @@ spa_format_audio_dsd_parse(const struct spa_pod *format, struct spa_audio_info_d
 	info->flags = 0;
 	res = spa_pod_parse_object(format,
 			SPA_TYPE_OBJECT_Format, NULL,
-			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_bitorder,	SPA_POD_Id(&info->bitorder),
-			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_interleave,	SPA_POD_Int(&info->interleave),
-			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_rate,		SPA_POD_Int(&info->rate),
-			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_channels,	SPA_POD_Int(&info->channels),
+			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_bitorder,	SPA_POD_OPT_Id(&info->bitorder),
+			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_interleave,	SPA_POD_OPT_Int(&info->interleave),
+			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_rate,		SPA_POD_OPT_Int(&info->rate),
+			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_channels,	SPA_POD_OPT_Int(&info->channels),
 			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_position,	SPA_POD_OPT_Pod(&position));
 	if (position == NULL ||
 	    !spa_pod_copy_array(position, SPA_TYPE_Id, info->position, SPA_AUDIO_MAX_CHANNELS))
diff --git a/spa/include/spa/param/video/format-utils.h b/spa/include/spa/param/video/format-utils.h
index 9abf67021..339e7e523 100644
--- a/spa/include/spa/param/video/format-utils.h
+++ b/spa/include/spa/param/video/format-utils.h
@@ -44,10 +44,10 @@ spa_format_video_raw_parse(const struct spa_pod *format,
 {
 	return spa_pod_parse_object(format,
 		SPA_TYPE_OBJECT_Format, NULL,
-		SPA_FORMAT_VIDEO_format,		SPA_POD_Id(&info->format),
+		SPA_FORMAT_VIDEO_format,		SPA_POD_OPT_Id(&info->format),
 		SPA_FORMAT_VIDEO_modifier,		SPA_POD_OPT_Long(&info->modifier),
-		SPA_FORMAT_VIDEO_size,			SPA_POD_Rectangle(&info->size),
-		SPA_FORMAT_VIDEO_framerate,		SPA_POD_Fraction(&info->framerate),
+		SPA_FORMAT_VIDEO_size,			SPA_POD_OPT_Rectangle(&info->size),
+		SPA_FORMAT_VIDEO_framerate,		SPA_POD_OPT_Fraction(&info->framerate),
 		SPA_FORMAT_VIDEO_maxFramerate,		SPA_POD_OPT_Fraction(&info->max_framerate),
 		SPA_FORMAT_VIDEO_views,			SPA_POD_OPT_Int(&info->views),
 		SPA_FORMAT_VIDEO_interlaceMode,		SPA_POD_OPT_Id(&info->interlace_mode),
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ spa_format_video_dsp_parse(const struct spa_pod *format,
 {
 	return spa_pod_parse_object(format,
 		SPA_TYPE_OBJECT_Format, NULL,
-		SPA_FORMAT_VIDEO_format,		SPA_POD_Id(&info->format),
+		SPA_FORMAT_VIDEO_format,		SPA_POD_OPT_Id(&info->format),
 		SPA_FORMAT_VIDEO_modifier,		SPA_POD_OPT_Long(&info->modifier));
 }
 
diff --git a/spa/plugins/audioconvert/audioadapter.c b/spa/plugins/audioconvert/audioadapter.c
index ea0343598..99ba4c770 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/audioconvert/audioadapter.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/audioconvert/audioadapter.c
@@ -556,30 +556,6 @@ static int reconfigure_mode(struct impl *this, bool passthrough,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int format_audio_raw_parse_opt(const struct spa_pod *format, struct spa_audio_info_raw *info)
-{
-	struct spa_pod *position = NULL;
-	uint32_t media_type, media_subtype;
-	int res;
-	if ((res = spa_format_parse(format, &media_type, &media_subtype)) < 0)
-		return res;
-	if (media_type != SPA_MEDIA_TYPE_audio ||
-	    media_subtype != SPA_MEDIA_SUBTYPE_raw)
-		return -ENOTSUP;
-
-	spa_zero(*info);
-	res = spa_pod_parse_object(format,
-			SPA_TYPE_OBJECT_Format, NULL,
-			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_format, SPA_POD_OPT_Id(&info->format),
-			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_channels, SPA_POD_OPT_Int(&info->channels),
-			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_position, SPA_POD_OPT_Pod(&position));
-	if (position == NULL ||
-	    !spa_pod_copy_array(position, SPA_TYPE_Id, info->position, SPA_AUDIO_MAX_CHANNELS))
-		SPA_FLAG_SET(info->flags, SPA_AUDIO_FLAG_UNPOSITIONED);
-
-	return res;
-}
-
 static int impl_node_set_param(void *object, uint32_t id, uint32_t flags,
 			       const struct spa_pod *param)
 {
@@ -631,8 +607,18 @@ static int impl_node_set_param(void *object, uint32_t id, uint32_t flags,
 
 		if (format) {
 			struct spa_audio_info info;
-			if (format_audio_raw_parse_opt(format, &info.info.raw) >= 0)
+
+			spa_zero(info);
+			if ((res = spa_format_parse(format, &info.media_type, &info.media_subtype)) < 0)
+				return res;
+			if (info.media_type != SPA_MEDIA_TYPE_audio ||
+			    info.media_subtype != SPA_MEDIA_SUBTYPE_raw)
+				return -ENOTSUP;
+
+			if (spa_format_audio_raw_parse(format, &info.info.raw) >= 0) {
+				info.info.raw.rate = 0;
 				this->default_format = info;
+			}
 		}
 
 		switch (mode) {
diff --git a/spa/plugins/videoconvert/videoadapter.c b/spa/plugins/videoconvert/videoadapter.c
index 5b7bae51b..0a2a1422b 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/videoconvert/videoadapter.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/videoconvert/videoadapter.c
@@ -562,24 +562,6 @@ static int reconfigure_mode(struct impl *this, bool passthrough,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int format_video_raw_parse_opt(const struct spa_pod *format, struct spa_video_info_raw *info)
-{
-	uint32_t media_type, media_subtype;
-	int res;
-	if ((res = spa_format_parse(format, &media_type, &media_subtype)) < 0)
-		return res;
-	if (media_type != SPA_MEDIA_TYPE_video ||
-	    media_subtype != SPA_MEDIA_SUBTYPE_raw)
-		return -ENOTSUP;
-
-	spa_zero(*info);
-	res = spa_pod_parse_object(format,
-			SPA_TYPE_OBJECT_Format, NULL,
-			SPA_FORMAT_VIDEO_format, SPA_POD_OPT_Id(&info->format),
-			SPA_FORMAT_VIDEO_size, SPA_POD_OPT_Int(&info->size));
-	return res;
-}
-
 static int impl_node_set_param(void *object, uint32_t id, uint32_t flags,
 			       const struct spa_pod *param)
 {
@@ -628,7 +610,15 @@ static int impl_node_set_param(void *object, uint32_t id, uint32_t flags,
 
 		if (format) {
 			struct spa_video_info info;
-			if (format_video_raw_parse_opt(format, &info.info.raw) >= 0)
+
+			spa_zero(info);
+			if ((res = spa_format_parse(format, &info.media_type, &info.media_subtype)) < 0)
+				return res;
+			if (info.media_type != SPA_MEDIA_TYPE_video ||
+			    info.media_subtype != SPA_MEDIA_SUBTYPE_raw)
+				return -ENOTSUP;
+
+			if (spa_format_video_raw_parse(format, &info.info.raw) >= 0)
 				this->default_format = info;
 		}
 
diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/format.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/format.c
index 2de01054c..a3e7a22fd 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/format.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/format.c
@@ -417,25 +417,6 @@ static enum encoding format_encoding_from_id(uint32_t id)
 	return ENCODING_ANY;
 }
 
-static inline int
-audio_raw_parse_opt(const struct spa_pod *format, struct spa_audio_info_raw *info)
-{
-	struct spa_pod *position = NULL;
-	int res;
-	info->flags = 0;
-	res = spa_pod_parse_object(format,
-			SPA_TYPE_OBJECT_Format, NULL,
-			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_format,        SPA_POD_OPT_Id(&info->format),
-			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_rate,          SPA_POD_OPT_Int(&info->rate),
-			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_channels,      SPA_POD_OPT_Int(&info->channels),
-			SPA_FORMAT_AUDIO_position,      SPA_POD_OPT_Pod(&position));
-	if (position == NULL ||
-	    !spa_pod_copy_array(position, SPA_TYPE_Id, info->position, SPA_AUDIO_MAX_CHANNELS))
-		SPA_FLAG_SET(info->flags, SPA_AUDIO_FLAG_UNPOSITIONED);
-
-	return res;
-}
-
 int format_parse_param(const struct spa_pod *param, bool collect,
 		struct sample_spec *ss, struct channel_map *map,
 		const struct sample_spec *def_ss, const struct channel_map *def_map)
@@ -451,14 +432,17 @@ int format_parse_param(const struct spa_pod *param, bool collect,
 
 	switch (info.media_subtype) {
 	case SPA_MEDIA_SUBTYPE_raw:
+		if (spa_format_audio_raw_parse(param, &info.info.raw) < 0)
+	                return -ENOTSUP;
 		if (def_ss != NULL) {
 			if (ss != NULL)
 				*ss = *def_ss;
-			if (audio_raw_parse_opt(param, &info.info.raw) < 0)
-		                return -ENOTSUP;
 		} else {
-			if (spa_format_audio_raw_parse(param, &info.info.raw) < 0)
-		                return -ENOTSUP;
+			if (info.info.raw.format == 0 ||
+			    info.info.raw.rate == 0 ||
+			    info.info.raw.channels == 0 ||
+			    info.info.raw.channels > SPA_AUDIO_MAX_CHANNELS)
+				return -ENOTSUP;
 		}
 		break;
 	case SPA_MEDIA_SUBTYPE_iec958: