diff --git a/audio/out/ao.c b/audio/out/ao.c
index 3bfa481bc5..cd2b9e8089 100644
--- a/audio/out/ao.c
+++ b/audio/out/ao.c
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ static bool get_desc(struct m_obj_desc *dst, int index)
         .priv_defaults = ao->priv_defaults,
         .options = ao->options,
         .global_opts = ao->global_opts,
+        .legacy_prefix = ao->legacy_prefix,
         .hidden = ao->encode,
         .p = ao,
     };
diff --git a/audio/out/internal.h b/audio/out/internal.h
index f9dc073b4d..3115fbfeb7 100644
--- a/audio/out/internal.h
+++ b/audio/out/internal.h
@@ -182,6 +182,7 @@ struct ao_driver {
     const void *priv_defaults;
     const struct m_option *options;
     const struct m_sub_options *global_opts;
+    const char *legacy_prefix;
 };
 
 // These functions can be called by AOs.
diff --git a/options/m_config.c b/options/m_config.c
index 18a9ad4de7..f8e8c705ae 100644
--- a/options/m_config.c
+++ b/options/m_config.c
@@ -258,15 +258,28 @@ struct m_config *m_config_from_obj_desc_noalloc(void *talloc_ctx,
 }
 
 static int m_config_set_obj_params(struct m_config *config, struct mp_log *log,
-                                   struct mpv_global *global, char **args)
+                                   struct mpv_global *global,
+                                   struct m_obj_desc *desc, char **args)
 {
     for (int n = 0; args && args[n * 2 + 0]; n++) {
         const char *opt = args[n * 2 + 0];
         const char *val = args[n * 2 + 1];
         struct m_config_option *co = m_config_get_co(config, bstr0(opt));
+        if (!co)
+            continue;
         struct m_config *target = config;
-        if (co && co->opt->type == &m_option_type_subopt_legacy) {
-            const char *newopt = co->opt->priv;
+        bool is_legacy = co->opt->type == &m_option_type_subopt_legacy;
+        bool force_legacy = !!desc->legacy_prefix;
+        if (is_legacy || force_legacy) {
+            // Legacy: redirect deprecated sub-options to global ones.
+            char tmp[100];
+            const char *newopt;
+            if (is_legacy) {
+                newopt = co->opt->priv;
+            } else {
+                snprintf(tmp, sizeof(tmp), "%s-%s", desc->legacy_prefix, opt);
+                newopt = tmp;
+            }
             assert(global);
             target = mp_get_root_config(global);
             mp_warn(log, "Using suboptions is deprecated. Use the global '--%s' "
@@ -289,14 +302,29 @@ struct m_config *m_config_from_obj_desc_and_args(void *ta_parent,
     for (int n = 0; defaults && defaults[n].name; n++) {
         struct m_obj_settings *entry = &defaults[n];
         if (name && strcmp(entry->name, name) == 0) {
-            if (m_config_set_obj_params(config, log, global, entry->attribs) < 0)
+            if (m_config_set_obj_params(config, log, global, desc, entry->attribs) < 0)
                 goto error;
         }
     }
 
-    if (m_config_set_obj_params(config, log, global, args) < 0)
+    if (m_config_set_obj_params(config, log, global, desc, args) < 0)
         goto error;
 
+    if (desc->legacy_prefix) {
+        assert(global);
+        struct m_config *root = mp_get_root_config(global);
+        // In this mode, the AO/VO will still access the options via its priv
+        // struct (like with real sub-options). We have to copy them over.
+        for (int n = 0; n < config->num_opts; n++) {
+            struct m_config_option *co = &config->opts[n];
+            char opt[100];
+            snprintf(opt, sizeof(opt), "%s-%s", desc->legacy_prefix, co->name);
+            struct m_config_option *g = m_config_get_co(root, bstr0(opt));
+            assert(g);
+            m_option_copy(co->opt, co->data, g->data);
+        }
+    }
+
     return config;
 error:
     talloc_free(config);
@@ -415,6 +443,20 @@ static void add_global_subopts(struct m_config *config,
             break;
         if (desc.global_opts)
             add_sub_options(config, NULL, desc.global_opts);
+        if (desc.legacy_prefix && desc.options) {
+            // Legacy: auto-add sub-options as global options (using the prefix).
+            struct m_config_option parent = {
+                .name = desc.legacy_prefix,
+                .group = 0,
+            };
+            struct m_sub_options *conf = talloc(config, struct m_sub_options);
+            *conf = (struct m_sub_options){
+                .opts = desc.options,
+                .defaults = desc.priv_defaults,
+                .size = desc.priv_size,
+            };
+            add_sub_options(config, &parent, conf);
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/options/m_option.h b/options/m_option.h
index 48afc23df7..024b62521a 100644
--- a/options/m_option.h
+++ b/options/m_option.h
@@ -132,6 +132,10 @@ struct m_obj_desc {
     const char *replaced_name;
     // For convenience: these are added as global command-line options.
     const struct m_sub_options *global_opts;
+    // Evil hack to essentially force-move .options to global_opts. All options
+    // will be added as global options with the given prefix, and using
+    // sub-options will be treated as deprecated and redirected.
+    const char *legacy_prefix;
 };
 
 // Extra definition needed for \ref m_option_type_obj_settings_list options.
diff --git a/video/out/vo.c b/video/out/vo.c
index 3e6a2c7070..afd4b4c792 100644
--- a/video/out/vo.c
+++ b/video/out/vo.c
@@ -173,6 +173,7 @@ static bool get_desc(struct m_obj_desc *dst, int index)
         .priv_defaults = vo->priv_defaults,
         .options = vo->options,
         .global_opts = vo->global_opts,
+        .legacy_prefix = vo->legacy_prefix,
         .hidden = vo->encode || !strcmp(vo->name, "opengl-cb"),
         .p = vo,
     };
diff --git a/video/out/vo.h b/video/out/vo.h
index 6a6101692c..e3258a39ff 100644
--- a/video/out/vo.h
+++ b/video/out/vo.h
@@ -295,11 +295,17 @@ struct vo_driver {
     const void *priv_defaults;
 
     // List of options to parse into priv struct (requires priv_size to be set)
+    // Deprecated. Use global options or global_opts instead.
     const struct m_option *options;
 
     // Global options to register if the VO is compiled in.
     // mp_get_config_group() or other function can be used to access them.
     const struct m_sub_options *global_opts;
+
+    // Evil hack: add .options as global options, using the provided prefix.
+    // For further evilness, the options will be copied to the priv struct
+    // like with normal .options behavior.
+    const char *legacy_prefix;
 };
 
 struct vo {