diff --git a/audio/paaudio.c b/audio/paaudio.c
index ed31f863f7..3e6580a5ee 100644
--- a/audio/paaudio.c
+++ b/audio/paaudio.c
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 #include "qemu/osdep.h"
 #include "qemu/module.h"
+#include "qemu-common.h"
 #include "audio.h"
 #include "qapi/opts-visitor.h"
 
@@ -338,7 +339,7 @@ static int qpa_init_out(HWVoiceOut *hw, struct audsettings *as,
 
     pa->stream = qpa_simple_new (
         c,
-        "qemu",
+        g->dev->id,
         PA_STREAM_PLAYBACK,
         ppdo->has_name ? ppdo->name : NULL,
         &ss,
@@ -387,7 +388,7 @@ static int qpa_init_in(HWVoiceIn *hw, struct audsettings *as, void *drv_opaque)
 
     pa->stream = qpa_simple_new (
         c,
-        "qemu",
+        g->dev->id,
         PA_STREAM_RECORD,
         ppdo->has_name ? ppdo->name : NULL,
         &ss,
@@ -549,6 +550,7 @@ static int qpa_validate_per_direction_opts(Audiodev *dev,
 /* common */
 static void *qpa_conn_init(const char *server)
 {
+    const char *vm_name;
     PAConnection *c = g_malloc0(sizeof(PAConnection));
     QTAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&pa_conns, c, list);
 
@@ -557,8 +559,9 @@ static void *qpa_conn_init(const char *server)
         goto fail;
     }
 
+    vm_name = qemu_get_vm_name();
     c->context = pa_context_new(pa_threaded_mainloop_get_api(c->mainloop),
-                                server);
+                                vm_name ? vm_name : "qemu");
     if (!c->context) {
         goto fail;
     }