diff --git a/audio/audio.c b/audio/audio.c
index 17ef4f498f..c99e4ddea4 100644
--- a/audio/audio.c
+++ b/audio/audio.c
@@ -101,6 +101,8 @@ const struct mixeng_volume nominal_volume = {
 #endif
 };
 
+static bool legacy_config = true;
+
 #ifdef AUDIO_IS_FLAWLESS_AND_NO_CHECKS_ARE_REQURIED
 #error No its not
 #else
@@ -1394,7 +1396,7 @@ static AudiodevListEntry *audiodev_find(
  * if dev == NULL => legacy implicit initialization, return the already created
  *   state or create a new one
  */
-static AudioState *audio_init(Audiodev *dev)
+static AudioState *audio_init(Audiodev *dev, const char *name)
 {
     static bool atexit_registered;
     size_t i;
@@ -1408,12 +1410,13 @@ static AudioState *audio_init(Audiodev *dev)
 
     if (dev) {
         /* -audiodev option */
+        legacy_config = false;
         drvname = AudiodevDriver_str(dev->driver);
     } else if (!QTAILQ_EMPTY(&audio_states)) {
-        /*
-         * todo: check for -audiodev once we have normal audiodev selection
-         * support
-         */
+        if (!legacy_config) {
+            dolog("You must specify an audiodev= for the device %s\n", name);
+            exit(1);
+        }
         return QTAILQ_FIRST(&audio_states);
     } else {
         /* legacy implicit initialization */
@@ -1520,7 +1523,7 @@ void audio_free_audiodev_list(AudiodevListHead *head)
 void AUD_register_card (const char *name, QEMUSoundCard *card)
 {
     if (!card->state) {
-        card->state = audio_init(NULL);
+        card->state = audio_init(NULL, name);
     }
 
     card->name = g_strdup (name);
@@ -1546,8 +1549,11 @@ CaptureVoiceOut *AUD_add_capture(
     struct capture_callback *cb;
 
     if (!s) {
-        /* todo: remove when we have normal audiodev selection support */
-        s = audio_init(NULL);
+        if (!legacy_config) {
+            dolog("You must specify audiodev when trying to capture\n");
+            return NULL;
+        }
+        s = audio_init(NULL, NULL);
     }
 
     if (audio_validate_settings (as)) {
@@ -1778,7 +1784,7 @@ void audio_init_audiodevs(void)
     AudiodevListEntry *e;
 
     QSIMPLEQ_FOREACH(e, &audiodevs, next) {
-        audio_init(e->dev);
+        audio_init(e->dev, NULL);
     }
 }