diff --git a/libao2/ao_pulse.c b/libao2/ao_pulse.c
index e48c402fa6..062dde9ecf 100644
--- a/libao2/ao_pulse.c
+++ b/libao2/ao_pulse.c
@@ -297,8 +297,11 @@ unlock_and_fail:
         pa_threaded_mainloop_unlock(priv->mainloop);
 
 fail:
-    if (priv->context)
-        GENERIC_ERR_MSG(priv->context, "Init failed");
+    if (priv->context) {
+        if (!(pa_context_errno(priv->context) == PA_ERR_CONNECTIONREFUSED
+              && ao->probing))
+            GENERIC_ERR_MSG(priv->context, "Init failed");
+    }
     free(devarg);
     uninit(ao, true);
     return -1;
diff --git a/libao2/audio_out.c b/libao2/audio_out.c
index 6836963d66..744bcaf9bd 100644
--- a/libao2/audio_out.c
+++ b/libao2/audio_out.c
@@ -167,7 +167,9 @@ void ao_init(struct ao *ao, char **ao_list)
     for (int i = 0; audio_out_drivers[i]; i++) {
         const struct ao_driver *audio_out = audio_out_drivers[i];
         ao->driver = audio_out;
+        ao->probing = true;
         if (audio_out->init(ao, NULL) >= 0) {
+            ao->probing = false;
             ao->initialized = true;
             ao->driver = audio_out;
             return;
diff --git a/libao2/audio_out.h b/libao2/audio_out.h
index 955376d460..316341752b 100644
--- a/libao2/audio_out.h
+++ b/libao2/audio_out.h
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ struct ao {
     double pts;
     struct bstr buffer;
     int buffer_playable_size;
+    bool probing;
     bool initialized;
     bool untimed;
     bool no_persistent_volume;