diff --git a/audio/audio.h b/audio/audio.h
index 64b0f761bc..ad2457f4de 100644
--- a/audio/audio.h
+++ b/audio/audio.h
@@ -78,8 +78,10 @@ typedef struct SWVoiceOut SWVoiceOut;
 typedef struct CaptureVoiceOut CaptureVoiceOut;
 typedef struct SWVoiceIn SWVoiceIn;
 
+typedef struct AudioState AudioState;
 typedef struct QEMUSoundCard {
     char *name;
+    AudioState *state;
     QLIST_ENTRY (QEMUSoundCard) entries;
 } QEMUSoundCard;
 
@@ -92,7 +94,8 @@ void AUD_log (const char *cap, const char *fmt, ...) GCC_FMT_ATTR(2, 3);
 
 void AUD_register_card (const char *name, QEMUSoundCard *card);
 void AUD_remove_card (QEMUSoundCard *card);
-CaptureVoiceOut *AUD_add_capture (
+CaptureVoiceOut *AUD_add_capture(
+    AudioState *s,
     struct audsettings *as,
     struct audio_capture_ops *ops,
     void *opaque
@@ -160,8 +163,8 @@ static inline void *advance (void *p, int incr)
 #define audio_MAX(a, b) ((a)<(b)?(b):(a))
 #endif
 
-int wav_start_capture (CaptureState *s, const char *path, int freq,
-                       int bits, int nchannels);
+int wav_start_capture(AudioState *state, CaptureState *s, const char *path,
+                      int freq, int bits, int nchannels);
 
 bool audio_is_cleaning_up(void);
 void audio_cleanup(void);
@@ -175,4 +178,7 @@ void audio_parse_option(const char *opt);
 void audio_init_audiodevs(void);
 void audio_legacy_help(void);
 
+AudioState *audio_state_by_name(const char *name);
+const char *audio_get_id(QEMUSoundCard *card);
+
 #endif /* QEMU_AUDIO_H */
diff --git a/audio/audio_int.h b/audio/audio_int.h
index 2a7556d113..5ceea76eda 100644
--- a/audio/audio_int.h
+++ b/audio/audio_int.h
@@ -195,6 +195,8 @@ struct AudioState {
 
     bool timer_running;
     uint64_t timer_last;
+
+    QTAILQ_ENTRY(AudioState) list;
 };
 
 extern const struct mixeng_volume nominal_volume;
diff --git a/audio/audio_template.h b/audio/audio_template.h
index ccf6d810f7..ce1e5d6559 100644
--- a/audio/audio_template.h
+++ b/audio/audio_template.h
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ SW *glue (AUD_open_, TYPE) (
     struct audsettings *as
     )
 {
-    AudioState *s = &glob_audio_state;
+    AudioState *s = card->state;
     AudiodevPerDirectionOptions *pdo = s->dev->TYPE;
 
     if (audio_bug(__func__, !card || !name || !callback_fn || !as)) {
diff --git a/ui/vnc.h b/ui/vnc.h
index a86e0610e8..0c9a2d82e0 100644
--- a/ui/vnc.h
+++ b/ui/vnc.h
@@ -181,6 +181,8 @@ struct VncDisplay
 #ifdef CONFIG_VNC_SASL
     VncDisplaySASL sasl;
 #endif
+
+    AudioState *audio_state;
 };
 
 typedef struct VncTight {
diff --git a/audio/audio.c b/audio/audio.c
index ef8ce3b91d..2f9f37afb8 100644
--- a/audio/audio.c
+++ b/audio/audio.c
@@ -85,7 +85,8 @@ audio_driver *audio_driver_lookup(const char *name)
     return NULL;
 }
 
-static AudioState glob_audio_state;
+static QTAILQ_HEAD(AudioStateHead, AudioState) audio_states =
+    QTAILQ_HEAD_INITIALIZER(audio_states);
 
 const struct mixeng_volume nominal_volume = {
     .mute = 0,
@@ -1239,11 +1240,14 @@ static void audio_run_capture (AudioState *s)
 
 void audio_run (const char *msg)
 {
-    AudioState *s = &glob_audio_state;
+    AudioState *s;
+
+    QTAILQ_FOREACH(s, &audio_states, list) {
+        audio_run_out (s);
+        audio_run_in (s);
+        audio_run_capture (s);
+    }
 
-    audio_run_out (s);
-    audio_run_in (s);
-    audio_run_capture (s);
 #ifdef DEBUG_POLL
     {
         static double prevtime;
@@ -1305,13 +1309,11 @@ bool audio_is_cleaning_up(void)
     return is_cleaning_up;
 }
 
-void audio_cleanup(void)
+static void free_audio_state(AudioState *s)
 {
-    AudioState *s = &glob_audio_state;
     HWVoiceOut *hwo, *hwon;
     HWVoiceIn *hwi, *hwin;
 
-    is_cleaning_up = true;
     QLIST_FOREACH_SAFE(hwo, &s->hw_head_out, entries, hwon) {
         SWVoiceCap *sc;
 
@@ -1348,6 +1350,17 @@ void audio_cleanup(void)
         qapi_free_Audiodev(s->dev);
         s->dev = NULL;
     }
+    g_free(s);
+}
+
+void audio_cleanup(void)
+{
+    is_cleaning_up = true;
+    while (!QTAILQ_EMPTY(&audio_states)) {
+        AudioState *s = QTAILQ_FIRST(&audio_states);
+        QTAILQ_REMOVE(&audio_states, s, list);
+        free_audio_state(s);
+    }
 }
 
 static const VMStateDescription vmstate_audio = {
@@ -1374,28 +1387,33 @@ static AudiodevListEntry *audiodev_find(
     return NULL;
 }
 
-static int audio_init(Audiodev *dev)
+/*
+ * if we have dev, this function was called because of an -audiodev argument =>
+ *   initialize a new state with it
+ * if dev == NULL => legacy implicit initialization, return the already created
+ *   state or create a new one
+ */
+static AudioState *audio_init(Audiodev *dev)
 {
+    static bool atexit_registered;
     size_t i;
     int done = 0;
     const char *drvname = NULL;
     VMChangeStateEntry *e;
-    AudioState *s = &glob_audio_state;
+    AudioState *s;
     struct audio_driver *driver;
     /* silence gcc warning about uninitialized variable */
     AudiodevListHead head = QSIMPLEQ_HEAD_INITIALIZER(head);
 
-    if (s->drv) {
-        if (dev) {
-            dolog("Cannot create more than one audio backend, sorry\n");
-            qapi_free_Audiodev(dev);
-        }
-        return -1;
-    }
-
     if (dev) {
         /* -audiodev option */
         drvname = AudiodevDriver_str(dev->driver);
+    } else if (!QTAILQ_EMPTY(&audio_states)) {
+        /*
+         * todo: check for -audiodev once we have normal audiodev selection
+         * support
+         */
+        return QTAILQ_FIRST(&audio_states);
     } else {
         /* legacy implicit initialization */
         head = audio_handle_legacy_opts();
@@ -1409,12 +1427,18 @@ static int audio_init(Audiodev *dev)
         dev = QSIMPLEQ_FIRST(&head)->dev;
         audio_validate_opts(dev, &error_abort);
     }
+
+    s = g_malloc0(sizeof(AudioState));
     s->dev = dev;
 
     QLIST_INIT (&s->hw_head_out);
     QLIST_INIT (&s->hw_head_in);
     QLIST_INIT (&s->cap_head);
-    atexit(audio_cleanup);
+    if (!atexit_registered) {
+        atexit(audio_cleanup);
+        atexit_registered = true;
+    }
+    QTAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&audio_states, s, list);
 
     s->ts = timer_new_ns(QEMU_CLOCK_VIRTUAL, audio_timer, s);
 
@@ -1478,7 +1502,7 @@ static int audio_init(Audiodev *dev)
 
     QLIST_INIT (&s->card_head);
     vmstate_register (NULL, 0, &vmstate_audio, s);
-    return 0;
+    return s;
 }
 
 void audio_free_audiodev_list(AudiodevListHead *head)
@@ -1493,10 +1517,13 @@ void audio_free_audiodev_list(AudiodevListHead *head)
 
 void AUD_register_card (const char *name, QEMUSoundCard *card)
 {
-    audio_init(NULL);
+    if (!card->state) {
+        card->state = audio_init(NULL);
+    }
+
     card->name = g_strdup (name);
     memset (&card->entries, 0, sizeof (card->entries));
-    QLIST_INSERT_HEAD (&glob_audio_state.card_head, card, entries);
+    QLIST_INSERT_HEAD (&card->state->card_head, card, entries);
 }
 
 void AUD_remove_card (QEMUSoundCard *card)
@@ -1506,16 +1533,21 @@ void AUD_remove_card (QEMUSoundCard *card)
 }
 
 
-CaptureVoiceOut *AUD_add_capture (
+CaptureVoiceOut *AUD_add_capture(
+    AudioState *s,
     struct audsettings *as,
     struct audio_capture_ops *ops,
     void *cb_opaque
     )
 {
-    AudioState *s = &glob_audio_state;
     CaptureVoiceOut *cap;
     struct capture_callback *cb;
 
+    if (!s) {
+        /* todo: remove when we have normal audiodev selection support */
+        s = audio_init(NULL);
+    }
+
     if (audio_validate_settings (as)) {
         dolog ("Invalid settings were passed when trying to add capture\n");
         audio_print_settings (as);
@@ -1807,3 +1839,25 @@ int audio_buffer_bytes(AudiodevPerDirectionOptions *pdo,
     return audio_buffer_samples(pdo, as, def_usecs) *
         audioformat_bytes_per_sample(as->fmt);
 }
+
+AudioState *audio_state_by_name(const char *name)
+{
+    AudioState *s;
+    QTAILQ_FOREACH(s, &audio_states, list) {
+        assert(s->dev);
+        if (strcmp(name, s->dev->id) == 0) {
+            return s;
+        }
+    }
+    return NULL;
+}
+
+const char *audio_get_id(QEMUSoundCard *card)
+{
+    if (card->state) {
+        assert(card->state->dev);
+        return card->state->dev->id;
+    } else {
+        return "";
+    }
+}
diff --git a/audio/wavcapture.c b/audio/wavcapture.c
index e943565210..88d3141be5 100644
--- a/audio/wavcapture.c
+++ b/audio/wavcapture.c
@@ -107,8 +107,8 @@ static struct capture_ops wav_capture_ops = {
     .info = wav_capture_info
 };
 
-int wav_start_capture (CaptureState *s, const char *path, int freq,
-                       int bits, int nchannels)
+int wav_start_capture(AudioState *state, CaptureState *s, const char *path,
+                      int freq, int bits, int nchannels)
 {
     Monitor *mon = cur_mon;
     WAVState *wav;
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ int wav_start_capture (CaptureState *s, const char *path, int freq,
         goto error_free;
     }
 
-    cap = AUD_add_capture (&as, &ops, wav);
+    cap = AUD_add_capture(state, &as, &ops, wav);
     if (!cap) {
         monitor_printf (mon, "Failed to add audio capture\n");
         goto error_free;
diff --git a/monitor.c b/monitor.c
index eb39fb015b..d572b7aaed 100644
--- a/monitor.c
+++ b/monitor.c
@@ -2038,7 +2038,17 @@ static void hmp_wavcapture(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict)
     int bits = qdict_get_try_int(qdict, "bits", -1);
     int has_channels = qdict_haskey(qdict, "nchannels");
     int nchannels = qdict_get_try_int(qdict, "nchannels", -1);
+    const char *audiodev = qdict_get_try_str(qdict, "audiodev");
     CaptureState *s;
+    AudioState *as = NULL;
+
+    if (audiodev) {
+        as = audio_state_by_name(audiodev);
+        if (!as) {
+            monitor_printf(mon, "Invalid audiodev specified\n");
+            return;
+        }
+    }
 
     s = g_malloc0 (sizeof (*s));
 
@@ -2046,7 +2056,7 @@ static void hmp_wavcapture(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict)
     bits = has_bits ? bits : 16;
     nchannels = has_channels ? nchannels : 2;
 
-    if (wav_start_capture (s, path, freq, bits, nchannels)) {
+    if (wav_start_capture(as, s, path, freq, bits, nchannels)) {
         monitor_printf(mon, "Failed to add wave capture\n");
         g_free (s);
         return;
diff --git a/ui/vnc.c b/ui/vnc.c
index 48c1b95aae..f388ff75fb 100644
--- a/ui/vnc.c
+++ b/ui/vnc.c
@@ -1195,7 +1195,7 @@ static void audio_add(VncState *vs)
     ops.destroy = audio_capture_destroy;
     ops.capture = audio_capture;
 
-    vs->audio_cap = AUD_add_capture(&vs->as, &ops, vs);
+    vs->audio_cap = AUD_add_capture(vs->vd->audio_state, &vs->as, &ops, vs);
     if (!vs->audio_cap) {
         error_report("Failed to add audio capture");
     }
@@ -3390,6 +3390,9 @@ static QemuOptsList qemu_vnc_opts = {
         },{
             .name = "non-adaptive",
             .type = QEMU_OPT_BOOL,
+        },{
+            .name = "audiodev",
+            .type = QEMU_OPT_STRING,
         },
         { /* end of list */ }
     },
@@ -3825,6 +3828,7 @@ void vnc_display_open(const char *id, Error **errp)
     int acl = 0;
     int lock_key_sync = 1;
     int key_delay_ms;
+    const char *audiodev;
 
     if (!vd) {
         error_setg(errp, "VNC display not active");
@@ -3978,6 +3982,15 @@ void vnc_display_open(const char *id, Error **errp)
     vd->ledstate = 0;
     vd->key_delay_ms = key_delay_ms;
 
+    audiodev = qemu_opt_get(opts, "audiodev");
+    if (audiodev) {
+        vd->audio_state = audio_state_by_name(audiodev);
+        if (!vd->audio_state) {
+            error_setg(errp, "Audiodev '%s' not found", audiodev);
+            goto fail;
+        }
+    }
+
     device_id = qemu_opt_get(opts, "display");
     if (device_id) {
         int head = qemu_opt_get_number(opts, "head", 0);
diff --git a/hmp-commands.hx b/hmp-commands.hx
index ba71558c25..dc339a5484 100644
--- a/hmp-commands.hx
+++ b/hmp-commands.hx
@@ -796,16 +796,17 @@ ETEXI
 
     {
         .name       = "wavcapture",
-        .args_type  = "path:F,freq:i?,bits:i?,nchannels:i?",
-        .params     = "path [frequency [bits [channels]]]",
+        .args_type  = "path:F,freq:i?,bits:i?,nchannels:i?,audiodev:s?",
+        .params     = "path [frequency [bits [channels [audiodev]]]]",
         .help       = "capture audio to a wave file (default frequency=44100 bits=16 channels=2)",
         .cmd        = hmp_wavcapture,
     },
 STEXI
-@item wavcapture @var{filename} [@var{frequency} [@var{bits} [@var{channels}]]]
+@item wavcapture @var{filename} [@var{frequency} [@var{bits} [@var{channels} [@var{audiodev}]]]]
 @findex wavcapture
-Capture audio into @var{filename}. Using sample rate @var{frequency}
-bits per sample @var{bits} and number of channels @var{channels}.
+Capture audio into @var{filename} from @var{audiodev}. Using sample rate
+@var{frequency} bits per sample @var{bits} and number of channels
+@var{channels}.
 
 Defaults:
 @itemize @minus
diff --git a/qemu-options.hx b/qemu-options.hx
index a12931899b..098508ce09 100644
--- a/qemu-options.hx
+++ b/qemu-options.hx
@@ -1911,6 +1911,11 @@ can help the device and guest to keep up and not lose events in case
 events are arriving in bulk.  Possible causes for the latter are flaky
 network connections, or scripts for automated testing.
 
+@item audiodev=@var{audiodev}
+
+Use the specified @var{audiodev} when the VNC client requests audio
+transmission.
+
 @end table
 ETEXI
 
