diff --git a/audio/out/ao.c b/audio/out/ao.c
index 4eb115194b..4dddd7dc2b 100644
--- a/audio/out/ao.c
+++ b/audio/out/ao.c
@@ -453,8 +453,9 @@ struct ao_hotplug {
     void *wakeup_ctx;
     // A single AO instance is used to listen to hotplug events. It wouldn't
     // make much sense to allow multiple AO drivers; all sane platforms have
-    // a single such audio API.
-    // This is _not_ the same AO instance as used for playing audio.
+    // a single audio API providing all events.
+    // This is _not_ necessarily the same AO instance as used for playing
+    // audio.
     struct ao *ao;
     // cached
     struct ao_device_list *list;
@@ -494,7 +495,8 @@ bool ao_hotplug_check_update(struct ao_hotplug *hp)
 }
 
 // The return value is valid until the next call to this API.
-struct ao_device_list *ao_hotplug_get_device_list(struct ao_hotplug *hp)
+struct ao_device_list *ao_hotplug_get_device_list(struct ao_hotplug *hp,
+                                                  struct ao *playback_ao)
 {
     if (hp->list && !hp->needs_update)
         return hp->list;
@@ -506,6 +508,19 @@ struct ao_device_list *ao_hotplug_get_device_list(struct ao_hotplug *hp)
     MP_TARRAY_APPEND(list, list->devices, list->num_devices,
         (struct ao_device_desc){"auto", "Autoselect device"});
 
+    // Try to use the same AO for hotplug handling as for playback.
+    // Different AOs may not agree and the playback one is the only one the
+    // user knows about and may even have configured explicitly.
+    if (!hp->ao && playback_ao && playback_ao->driver->hotplug_init) {
+        struct ao *ao = ao_alloc(true, hp->global, hp->wakeup_cb, hp->wakeup_ctx,
+                                 (char *)playback_ao->driver->name);
+        if (playback_ao->driver->hotplug_init(ao) >= 0) {
+            hp->ao = ao;
+        } else {
+            talloc_free(ao);
+        }
+    }
+
     for (int n = 0; audio_out_drivers[n]; n++) {
         const struct ao_driver *d = audio_out_drivers[n];
         if (d == &audio_out_null)
@@ -569,10 +584,11 @@ static void dummy_wakeup(void *ctx)
 {
 }
 
-void ao_print_devices(struct mpv_global *global, struct mp_log *log)
+void ao_print_devices(struct mpv_global *global, struct mp_log *log,
+                      struct ao *playback_ao)
 {
     struct ao_hotplug *hp = ao_hotplug_create(global, dummy_wakeup, NULL);
-    struct ao_device_list *list = ao_hotplug_get_device_list(hp);
+    struct ao_device_list *list = ao_hotplug_get_device_list(hp, playback_ao);
     mp_info(log, "List of detected audio devices:\n");
     for (int n = 0; n < list->num_devices; n++) {
         struct ao_device_desc *desc = &list->devices[n];
diff --git a/audio/out/ao.h b/audio/out/ao.h
index 7d111c46ff..1bca124599 100644
--- a/audio/out/ao.h
+++ b/audio/out/ao.h
@@ -126,8 +126,8 @@ struct ao_hotplug *ao_hotplug_create(struct mpv_global *global,
                                      void *wakeup_ctx);
 void ao_hotplug_destroy(struct ao_hotplug *hp);
 bool ao_hotplug_check_update(struct ao_hotplug *hp);
-struct ao_device_list *ao_hotplug_get_device_list(struct ao_hotplug *hp);
+struct ao_device_list *ao_hotplug_get_device_list(struct ao_hotplug *hp, struct ao *playback_ao);
 
-void ao_print_devices(struct mpv_global *global, struct mp_log *log);
+void ao_print_devices(struct mpv_global *global, struct mp_log *log, struct ao *playback_ao);
 
 #endif /* MPLAYER_AUDIO_OUT_H */
diff --git a/player/command.c b/player/command.c
index 943f7e887d..2e6b9875d7 100644
--- a/player/command.c
+++ b/player/command.c
@@ -1702,7 +1702,7 @@ static int mp_property_audio_device(void *ctx, struct m_property *prop,
         if (mp_property_generic_option(mpctx, prop, M_PROPERTY_GET, &name) < 1)
             name = NULL;
 
-        struct ao_device_list *list = ao_hotplug_get_device_list(cmd->hotplug);
+        struct ao_device_list *list = ao_hotplug_get_device_list(cmd->hotplug, mpctx->ao);
         for (int n = 0; n < list->num_devices; n++) {
             struct ao_device_desc *dev = &list->devices[n];
             if (dev->name && name && strcmp(dev->name, name) == 0) {
@@ -1724,7 +1724,7 @@ static int mp_property_audio_devices(void *ctx, struct m_property *prop,
     struct command_ctx *cmd = mpctx->command_ctx;
     create_hotplug(mpctx);
 
-    struct ao_device_list *list = ao_hotplug_get_device_list(cmd->hotplug);
+    struct ao_device_list *list = ao_hotplug_get_device_list(cmd->hotplug, mpctx->ao);
     return m_property_read_list(action, arg, list->num_devices,
                                 get_device_entry, list);
 }
diff --git a/player/main.c b/player/main.c
index 7c1f5d8831..1c1cdf9f29 100644
--- a/player/main.c
+++ b/player/main.c
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ static bool handle_help_options(struct MPContext *mpctx)
     if (opts->ao_opts->audio_device &&
         strcmp(opts->ao_opts->audio_device, "help") == 0)
     {
-        ao_print_devices(mpctx->global, log);
+        ao_print_devices(mpctx->global, log, mpctx->ao);
         return true;
     }
     if (opts->property_print_help) {