diff --git a/DOCS/man/en/mplayer.1 b/DOCS/man/en/mplayer.1
index 11ec0cfdaf..fd07e87a85 100644
--- a/DOCS/man/en/mplayer.1
+++ b/DOCS/man/en/mplayer.1
@@ -2418,7 +2418,7 @@ any effect on SDL.
 .PD 0
 .RSs
 .IPs driver=<driver>
-Explicitly choose the SDL driver to use (default: x11).
+Explicitly choose the SDL driver to use.
 .IPs (no)forcexv
 Use XVideo through the sdl video output driver (default: forcexv).
 .IPs (no)hwaccel
diff --git a/libvo/vo_sdl.c b/libvo/vo_sdl.c
index 59e32ed84f..8ced65e36d 100644
--- a/libvo/vo_sdl.c
+++ b/libvo/vo_sdl.c
@@ -1593,7 +1593,7 @@ uninit(void)
 static uint32_t preinit(const char *arg)
 {
     struct sdl_priv_s *priv = &sdl_priv;
-    char * sdl_driver;
+    char * sdl_driver = NULL;
     int sdl_hwaccel;
     int sdl_forcexv;
     opt_t subopts[] = {
@@ -1605,7 +1605,6 @@ static uint32_t preinit(const char *arg)
 
     sdl_forcexv = 1;
     sdl_hwaccel = 1;
-    sdl_driver = strdup("x11");
 
     if (subopt_parse(arg, subopts) != 0) return -1;
 
@@ -1615,8 +1614,10 @@ static uint32_t preinit(const char *arg)
 
     if(verbose > 2) printf("SDL: Opening Plugin\n");
 
-    if(sdl_driver) setenv("SDL_VIDEODRIVER", sdl_driver, 1);
+    if(sdl_driver) {
+        setenv("SDL_VIDEODRIVER", sdl_driver, 1);
     free(sdl_driver);
+    }
 
     /* does the user want SDL to try and force Xv */
     if(sdl_forcexv)	setenv("SDL_VIDEO_X11_NODIRECTCOLOR", "1", 1);