diff --git a/audio/audio.c b/audio/audio.c
index 671845c65d18..b95aca444382 100644
--- a/audio/audio.c
+++ b/audio/audio.c
@@ -1822,15 +1822,18 @@ void audio_free_audiodev_list(AudiodevListHead *head)
     }
 }
 
-void AUD_register_card (const char *name, QEMUSoundCard *card)
+bool AUD_register_card (const char *name, QEMUSoundCard *card, Error **errp)
 {
     if (!card->state) {
-        card->state = audio_init(NULL, name);
+        error_setg(errp, "No audiodev specified for %s", name);
+        return false;
     }
 
     card->name = g_strdup (name);
     memset (&card->entries, 0, sizeof (card->entries));
     QLIST_INSERT_HEAD(&card->state->card_head, card, entries);
+
+    return true;
 }
 
 void AUD_remove_card (QEMUSoundCard *card)
diff --git a/audio/audio.h b/audio/audio.h
index 335704a4ddb1..9deed8ed6830 100644
--- a/audio/audio.h
+++ b/audio/audio.h
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ typedef struct QEMUAudioTimeStamp {
 void AUD_vlog (const char *cap, const char *fmt, va_list ap) G_GNUC_PRINTF(2, 0);
 void AUD_log (const char *cap, const char *fmt, ...) G_GNUC_PRINTF(2, 3);
 
-void AUD_register_card (const char *name, QEMUSoundCard *card);
+bool AUD_register_card (const char *name, QEMUSoundCard *card, Error **errp);
 void AUD_remove_card (QEMUSoundCard *card);
 CaptureVoiceOut *AUD_add_capture(
     AudioState *s,
diff --git a/hw/arm/omap2.c b/hw/arm/omap2.c
index 4ae524a1a1a6..407c24551c84 100644
--- a/hw/arm/omap2.c
+++ b/hw/arm/omap2.c
@@ -618,7 +618,8 @@ static struct omap_eac_s *omap_eac_init(struct omap_target_agent_s *ta,
                    s->codec.card.name);
     }
 
-    AUD_register_card("OMAP EAC", &s->codec.card);
+    /* We can quit here because this only gets called from machine class init */
+    AUD_register_card("OMAP EAC", &s->codec.card, &error_fatal);
 
     memory_region_init_io(&s->iomem, NULL, &omap_eac_ops, s, "omap.eac",
                           omap_l4_region_size(ta, 0));
diff --git a/hw/audio/ac97.c b/hw/audio/ac97.c
index fd0b3b97d5b5..8242ddb0f93d 100644
--- a/hw/audio/ac97.c
+++ b/hw/audio/ac97.c
@@ -1345,6 +1345,10 @@ static void ac97_realize(PCIDevice *dev, Error **errp)
     AC97LinkState *s = AC97(dev);
     uint8_t *c = s->dev.config;
 
+    if (!AUD_register_card ("ac97", &s->card, errp)) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     /* TODO: no need to override */
     c[PCI_COMMAND] = 0x00;      /* pcicmd pci command rw, ro */
     c[PCI_COMMAND + 1] = 0x00;
@@ -1378,7 +1382,7 @@ static void ac97_realize(PCIDevice *dev, Error **errp)
                            "ac97-nabm", 256);
     pci_register_bar (&s->dev, 0, PCI_BASE_ADDRESS_SPACE_IO, &s->io_nam);
     pci_register_bar (&s->dev, 1, PCI_BASE_ADDRESS_SPACE_IO, &s->io_nabm);
-    AUD_register_card ("ac97", &s->card);
+
     ac97_on_reset(DEVICE(s));
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/audio/adlib.c b/hw/audio/adlib.c
index ba1be6c8378d..39932654f7f5 100644
--- a/hw/audio/adlib.c
+++ b/hw/audio/adlib.c
@@ -269,8 +269,6 @@ static void adlib_realizefn (DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
     as.fmt = AUDIO_FORMAT_S16;
     as.endianness = AUDIO_HOST_ENDIANNESS;
 
-    AUD_register_card ("adlib", &s->card);
-
     s->voice = AUD_open_out (
         &s->card,
         s->voice,
@@ -285,6 +283,11 @@ static void adlib_realizefn (DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
         return;
     }
 
+    if (!AUD_register_card ("adlib", &s->card, errp)) {
+        Adlib_fini (s);
+        return;
+    }
+
     s->samples = AUD_get_buffer_size_out (s->voice) >> SHIFT;
     s->mixbuf = g_malloc0 (s->samples << SHIFT);
 
diff --git a/hw/audio/cs4231a.c b/hw/audio/cs4231a.c
index f510b862efbe..d9353a51ec66 100644
--- a/hw/audio/cs4231a.c
+++ b/hw/audio/cs4231a.c
@@ -676,13 +676,15 @@ static void cs4231a_realizefn (DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
         return;
     }
 
+    if (!AUD_register_card ("cs4231a", &s->card, errp)) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     s->pic = isa_get_irq(d, s->irq);
     k = ISADMA_GET_CLASS(s->isa_dma);
     k->register_channel(s->isa_dma, s->dma, cs_dma_read, s);
 
     isa_register_ioport (d, &s->ioports, s->port);
-
-    AUD_register_card ("cs4231a", &s->card);
 }
 
 static Property cs4231a_properties[] = {
diff --git a/hw/audio/es1370.c b/hw/audio/es1370.c
index 62359b84f279..77a84f83060b 100644
--- a/hw/audio/es1370.c
+++ b/hw/audio/es1370.c
@@ -867,7 +867,10 @@ static void es1370_realize(PCIDevice *dev, Error **errp)
     memory_region_init_io (&s->io, OBJECT(s), &es1370_io_ops, s, "es1370", 256);
     pci_register_bar (&s->dev, 0, PCI_BASE_ADDRESS_SPACE_IO, &s->io);
 
-    AUD_register_card ("es1370", &s->card);
+    if (!AUD_register_card ("es1370", &s->card, errp)) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     es1370_reset (s);
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/audio/gus.c b/hw/audio/gus.c
index c7710a684b88..f890042baa97 100644
--- a/hw/audio/gus.c
+++ b/hw/audio/gus.c
@@ -245,7 +245,9 @@ static void gus_realizefn (DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
         return;
     }
 
-    AUD_register_card ("gus", &s->card);
+    if (!AUD_register_card ("gus", &s->card, errp)) {
+        return;
+    }
 
     as.freq = s->freq;
     as.nchannels = 2;
diff --git a/hw/audio/hda-codec.c b/hw/audio/hda-codec.c
index e86a2adf31a0..7f8a7fa7ca1b 100644
--- a/hw/audio/hda-codec.c
+++ b/hw/audio/hda-codec.c
@@ -690,7 +690,10 @@ static void hda_audio_init(HDACodecDevice *hda,
     a->name = object_get_typename(OBJECT(a));
     dprint(a, 1, "%s: cad %d\n", __func__, a->hda.cad);
 
-    AUD_register_card("hda", &a->card);
+    if (!AUD_register_card("hda", &a->card, errp)) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     for (i = 0; i < a->desc->nnodes; i++) {
         node = a->desc->nodes + i;
         param = hda_codec_find_param(node, AC_PAR_AUDIO_WIDGET_CAP);
diff --git a/hw/audio/lm4549.c b/hw/audio/lm4549.c
index 418041bc9c6c..9afb81517e8f 100644
--- a/hw/audio/lm4549.c
+++ b/hw/audio/lm4549.c
@@ -289,7 +289,9 @@ void lm4549_init(lm4549_state *s, lm4549_callback data_req_cb, void* opaque,
     lm4549_reset(s);
 
     /* Register an audio card */
-    AUD_register_card("lm4549", &s->card);
+    if (!AUD_register_card("lm4549", &s->card, errp)) {
+        return;
+    }
 
     /* Open a default voice */
     as.freq = 48000;
diff --git a/hw/audio/pcspk.c b/hw/audio/pcspk.c
index 72bea5fb202a..41bf6a5cfdb3 100644
--- a/hw/audio/pcspk.c
+++ b/hw/audio/pcspk.c
@@ -122,7 +122,9 @@ static int pcspk_audio_init(PCSpkState *s)
         return 0;
     }
 
-    AUD_register_card(s_spk, &s->card);
+    if (!AUD_register_card(s_spk, &s->card, NULL)) {
+        return -1;
+    }
 
     s->voice = AUD_open_out(&s->card, s->voice, s_spk, s, pcspk_callback, &as);
     if (!s->voice) {
diff --git a/hw/audio/sb16.c b/hw/audio/sb16.c
index 593da2478c14..dd2131426cd3 100644
--- a/hw/audio/sb16.c
+++ b/hw/audio/sb16.c
@@ -1400,6 +1400,10 @@ static void sb16_realizefn (DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
     SB16State *s = SB16 (dev);
     IsaDmaClass *k;
 
+    if (!AUD_register_card ("sb16", &s->card, errp)) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     s->isa_hdma = isa_get_dma(isa_bus_from_device(isadev), s->hdma);
     s->isa_dma = isa_get_dma(isa_bus_from_device(isadev), s->dma);
     if (!s->isa_dma || !s->isa_hdma) {
@@ -1432,8 +1436,6 @@ static void sb16_realizefn (DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
     k->register_channel(s->isa_dma, s->dma, SB_read_DMA, s);
 
     s->can_write = 1;
-
-    AUD_register_card ("sb16", &s->card);
 }
 
 static Property sb16_properties[] = {
diff --git a/hw/audio/wm8750.c b/hw/audio/wm8750.c
index b5722b37c36b..57954a631442 100644
--- a/hw/audio/wm8750.c
+++ b/hw/audio/wm8750.c
@@ -624,7 +624,10 @@ static void wm8750_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
 {
     WM8750State *s = WM8750(dev);
 
-    AUD_register_card(CODEC, &s->card);
+    if (!AUD_register_card(CODEC, &s->card, errp)) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     wm8750_reset(I2C_SLAVE(s));
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/display/xlnx_dp.c b/hw/display/xlnx_dp.c
index b16d6be2b5cc..d6699f00d89e 100644
--- a/hw/display/xlnx_dp.c
+++ b/hw/display/xlnx_dp.c
@@ -1278,6 +1278,10 @@ static void xlnx_dp_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
     DisplaySurface *surface;
     struct audsettings as;
 
+    if (!AUD_register_card("xlnx_dp.audio", &s->aud_card, errp)) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     aux_bus_realize(s->aux_bus);
 
     qdev_realize(DEVICE(s->dpcd), BUS(s->aux_bus), &error_fatal);
@@ -1296,8 +1300,6 @@ static void xlnx_dp_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
     as.fmt = AUDIO_FORMAT_S16;
     as.endianness = 0;
 
-    AUD_register_card("xlnx_dp.audio", &s->aud_card);
-
     s->amixer_output_stream = AUD_open_out(&s->aud_card,
                                            s->amixer_output_stream,
                                            "xlnx_dp.audio.out",
diff --git a/hw/input/tsc210x.c b/hw/input/tsc210x.c
index f0b02bc72280..1ebf0199bfc7 100644
--- a/hw/input/tsc210x.c
+++ b/hw/input/tsc210x.c
@@ -1106,7 +1106,8 @@ static void tsc210x_init(TSC210xState *s,
                    s->card.name);
     }
 
-    AUD_register_card(s->name, &s->card);
+    /* We can quit here because this only gets called from machine class init */
+    AUD_register_card(s->name, &s->card, &error_fatal);
 
     qemu_register_reset((void *) tsc210x_reset, s);
     vmstate_register(NULL, 0, vmsd, s);
diff --git a/hw/usb/dev-audio.c b/hw/usb/dev-audio.c
index 8748c1ba0401..d5ac1f8962e3 100644
--- a/hw/usb/dev-audio.c
+++ b/hw/usb/dev-audio.c
@@ -944,12 +944,15 @@ static void usb_audio_realize(USBDevice *dev, Error **errp)
     USBAudioState *s = USB_AUDIO(dev);
     int i;
 
+    if (!AUD_register_card(TYPE_USB_AUDIO, &s->card, errp)) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     dev->usb_desc = s->multi ? &desc_audio_multi : &desc_audio;
 
     usb_desc_create_serial(dev);
     usb_desc_init(dev);
     s->dev.opaque = s;
-    AUD_register_card(TYPE_USB_AUDIO, &s->card);
 
     s->out.altset        = ALTSET_OFF;
     s->out.vol.mute      = false;
