diff --git a/libao2/ao_alsa1x.c b/libao2/ao_alsa1x.c
index 5ed8f41ece..67f3ee3bd8 100644
--- a/libao2/ao_alsa1x.c
+++ b/libao2/ao_alsa1x.c
@@ -628,7 +628,7 @@ static int init(int rate_hz, int channels, int format, int flags)
 	  return(0);
 	}
       else {
-	ao_data.buffersize = err;
+	ao_data.buffersize = err * bytes_per_sample;
 	if (verbose>0)
 	  printf("alsa-init: got buffersize=%i\n", ao_data.buffersize);
       }
diff --git a/libao2/ao_alsa9.c b/libao2/ao_alsa9.c
index 5ed8f41ece..67f3ee3bd8 100644
--- a/libao2/ao_alsa9.c
+++ b/libao2/ao_alsa9.c
@@ -628,7 +628,7 @@ static int init(int rate_hz, int channels, int format, int flags)
 	  return(0);
 	}
       else {
-	ao_data.buffersize = err;
+	ao_data.buffersize = err * bytes_per_sample;
 	if (verbose>0)
 	  printf("alsa-init: got buffersize=%i\n", ao_data.buffersize);
       }