diff --git a/audio/out/ao_wasapi.h b/audio/out/ao_wasapi.h
index 642d92f66f..eaa056a931 100644
--- a/audio/out/ao_wasapi.h
+++ b/audio/out/ao_wasapi.h
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ char *mp_PKEY_to_str_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_size, const PROPERTYKEY *pkey);
 #define mp_PKEY_to_str(pkey) mp_PKEY_to_str_buf((char[42]){0}, 42, (pkey))
 
 void wasapi_list_devs(struct ao *ao, struct ao_device_list *list);
+bstr wasapi_get_specified_device_string(struct ao *ao);
 LPWSTR find_deviceID(struct ao *ao);
 
 void wasapi_dispatch(struct ao *ao);
diff --git a/audio/out/ao_wasapi_changenotify.c b/audio/out/ao_wasapi_changenotify.c
index c25b806c8e..661e957bcc 100644
--- a/audio/out/ao_wasapi_changenotify.c
+++ b/audio/out/ao_wasapi_changenotify.c
@@ -122,7 +122,6 @@ static HRESULT STDMETHODCALLTYPE sIMMNotificationClient_OnDefaultDeviceChanged(
 {
     change_notify *change = (change_notify *)This;
     struct ao *ao = change->ao;
-    struct wasapi_state *state = ao->priv;
 
     // don't care about "eCapture" or non-"eMultimedia" roles
     if (flow == eCapture || role != eMultimedia) return S_OK;
@@ -133,9 +132,10 @@ static HRESULT STDMETHODCALLTYPE sIMMNotificationClient_OnDefaultDeviceChanged(
         ao_hotplug_event(ao);
     } else {
         // stay on the device the user specified
-        if (state->opt_device) {
+        bstr device = wasapi_get_specified_device_string(ao);
+        if (device.len) {
             MP_VERBOSE(ao, "OnDefaultDeviceChanged triggered: "
-                       "staying on specified device %s\n", state->opt_device);
+                       "staying on specified device %.*s\n", BSTR_P(device));
             return S_OK;
         }
 
diff --git a/audio/out/ao_wasapi_utils.c b/audio/out/ao_wasapi_utils.c
index 842b7fd9e2..9ca72318ad 100644
--- a/audio/out/ao_wasapi_utils.c
+++ b/audio/out/ao_wasapi_utils.c
@@ -858,14 +858,19 @@ static LPWSTR select_device(struct mp_log *l, struct device_desc *d)
                          (wcslen(d->deviceID) + 1) * sizeof(wchar_t));
 }
 
-LPWSTR find_deviceID(struct ao *ao)
+bstr wasapi_get_specified_device_string(struct ao *ao)
 {
-    LPWSTR deviceID = NULL;
     struct wasapi_state *state = ao->priv;
     bstr device = bstr_strip(bstr0(state->opt_device));
     if (!device.len)
         device = bstr_strip(bstr0(ao->device));
+    return device;
+}
 
+LPWSTR find_deviceID(struct ao *ao)
+{
+    LPWSTR deviceID = NULL;
+    bstr device = wasapi_get_specified_device_string(ao);
     MP_DBG(ao, "Find device \'%.*s\'\n", BSTR_P(device));
 
     struct device_desc *d = NULL;