diff --git a/audio/out/ao_coreaudio_utils.c b/audio/out/ao_coreaudio_utils.c
index 8f9690fc22..0bcc0d62a1 100644
--- a/audio/out/ao_coreaudio_utils.c
+++ b/audio/out/ao_coreaudio_utils.c
@@ -114,6 +114,13 @@ OSStatus ca_select_device(struct ao *ao, char* name, AudioDeviceID *device)
             kAudioObjectSystemObject, &p_addr, 0, 0, &size, &v);
         CFRelease(uid);
         CHECK_CA_ERROR("unable to query for device UID");
+
+        uint32_t is_alive = 1;
+        err = CA_GET(*device, kAudioDevicePropertyDeviceIsAlive, &is_alive);
+        CHECK_CA_ERROR("could not check whether device is alive (invalid device?)");
+
+        if (!is_alive)
+            MP_WARN(ao, "device is not alive!\n");
     } else {
         // device not set by user, get the default one
         err = CA_GET(kAudioObjectSystemObject,