diff --git a/audio/meson.build b/audio/meson.build
index 9a95c58f18..462533bb8c 100644
--- a/audio/meson.build
+++ b/audio/meson.build
@@ -7,23 +7,22 @@ softmmu_ss.add(files(
   'wavcapture.c',
 ))
 
-softmmu_ss.add(when: [coreaudio, 'CONFIG_AUDIO_COREAUDIO'], if_true: files('coreaudio.c'))
-softmmu_ss.add(when: [dsound, 'CONFIG_AUDIO_DSOUND'],
-               if_true: files('dsoundaudio.c', 'audio_win_int.c'))
+softmmu_ss.add(when: coreaudio, if_true: files('coreaudio.c'))
+softmmu_ss.add(when: dsound, if_true: files('dsoundaudio.c', 'audio_win_int.c'))
 
 audio_modules = {}
 foreach m : [
-  ['CONFIG_AUDIO_ALSA', 'alsa', alsa, 'alsaaudio.c'],
-  ['CONFIG_AUDIO_OSS', 'oss', oss, 'ossaudio.c'],
-  ['CONFIG_AUDIO_PA', 'pa', pulse, 'paaudio.c'],
-  ['CONFIG_AUDIO_SDL', 'sdl', sdl, 'sdlaudio.c'],
-  ['CONFIG_AUDIO_JACK', 'jack', jack, 'jackaudio.c'],
-  ['CONFIG_SPICE', 'spice', spice, 'spiceaudio.c']
+  ['alsa', alsa, files('alsaaudio.c')],
+  ['oss', oss, files('ossaudio.c')],
+  ['pa', pulse, files('paaudio.c')],
+  ['sdl', sdl, files('sdlaudio.c')],
+  ['jack', jack, files('jackaudio.c')],
+  ['spice', spice, files('spiceaudio.c')]
 ]
-  if config_host.has_key(m[0])
+  if m[1].found()
     module_ss = ss.source_set()
-    module_ss.add(when: m[2], if_true: files(m[3]))
-    audio_modules += {m[1] : module_ss}
+    module_ss.add(m[1], m[2])
+    audio_modules += {m[0] : module_ss}
   endif
 endforeach
 
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 174fa84b60..b9a457a02f 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ interp_prefix="/usr/gnemul/qemu-%M"
 static="no"
 cross_compile="no"
 cross_prefix=""
-audio_drv_list=""
+audio_drv_list="default"
 block_drv_rw_whitelist=""
 block_drv_ro_whitelist=""
 block_drv_whitelist_tools="no"
@@ -299,7 +299,6 @@ fdt="auto"
 netmap="no"
 sdl="auto"
 sdl_image="auto"
-coreaudio="auto"
 virtiofsd="auto"
 virtfs="auto"
 libudev="auto"
@@ -356,7 +355,6 @@ module_upgrades="no"
 prefix="/usr/local"
 qemu_suffix="qemu"
 slirp="auto"
-oss_lib=""
 bsd="no"
 linux="no"
 solaris="no"
@@ -703,54 +701,35 @@ fi
 case $targetos in
 MINGW32*)
   mingw32="yes"
-  audio_possible_drivers="dsound sdl"
-  if check_include dsound.h; then
-    audio_drv_list="dsound"
-  else
-    audio_drv_list=""
-  fi
   supported_os="yes"
   plugins="no"
   pie="no"
 ;;
 GNU/kFreeBSD)
   bsd="yes"
-  audio_drv_list="oss try-sdl"
-  audio_possible_drivers="oss sdl pa"
 ;;
 FreeBSD)
   bsd="yes"
   bsd_user="yes"
   make="${MAKE-gmake}"
-  audio_drv_list="oss try-sdl"
-  audio_possible_drivers="oss sdl pa"
   # needed for kinfo_getvmmap(3) in libutil.h
   netmap=""  # enable netmap autodetect
 ;;
 DragonFly)
   bsd="yes"
   make="${MAKE-gmake}"
-  audio_drv_list="oss try-sdl"
-  audio_possible_drivers="oss sdl pa"
 ;;
 NetBSD)
   bsd="yes"
   make="${MAKE-gmake}"
-  audio_drv_list="oss try-sdl"
-  audio_possible_drivers="oss sdl"
-  oss_lib="-lossaudio"
 ;;
 OpenBSD)
   bsd="yes"
   make="${MAKE-gmake}"
-  audio_drv_list="try-sdl"
-  audio_possible_drivers="sdl"
 ;;
 Darwin)
   bsd="yes"
   darwin="yes"
-  audio_drv_list="try-coreaudio try-sdl"
-  audio_possible_drivers="coreaudio sdl"
   # Disable attempts to use ObjectiveC features in os/object.h since they
   # won't work when we're compiling with gcc as a C compiler.
   QEMU_CFLAGS="-DOS_OBJECT_USE_OBJC=0 $QEMU_CFLAGS"
@@ -759,10 +738,6 @@ SunOS)
   solaris="yes"
   make="${MAKE-gmake}"
   smbd="${SMBD-/usr/sfw/sbin/smbd}"
-  if test -f /usr/include/sys/soundcard.h ; then
-    audio_drv_list="oss try-sdl"
-  fi
-  audio_possible_drivers="oss sdl"
 # needed for CMSG_ macros in sys/socket.h
   QEMU_CFLAGS="-D_XOPEN_SOURCE=600 $QEMU_CFLAGS"
 # needed for TIOCWIN* defines in termios.h
@@ -774,8 +749,6 @@ Haiku)
   QEMU_CFLAGS="-DB_USE_POSITIVE_POSIX_ERRORS -D_BSD_SOURCE -fPIC $QEMU_CFLAGS"
 ;;
 Linux)
-  audio_drv_list="try-pa oss"
-  audio_possible_drivers="oss alsa sdl pa"
   linux="yes"
   linux_user="yes"
   vhost_user=${default_feature:-yes}
@@ -1796,8 +1769,7 @@ Advanced options (experts only):
   --disable-strip          disable stripping binaries
   --disable-werror         disable compilation abort on warning
   --disable-stack-protector disable compiler-provided stack protection
-  --audio-drv-list=LIST    set audio drivers list:
-                           Available drivers: $audio_possible_drivers
+  --audio-drv-list=LIST    set audio drivers list
   --block-drv-whitelist=L  Same as --block-drv-rw-whitelist=L
   --block-drv-rw-whitelist=L
                            set block driver read-write whitelist
@@ -2400,12 +2372,6 @@ if test -z "$want_tools"; then
     fi
 fi
 
-##########################################
-# Disable features only meaningful for system-mode emulation
-if test "$softmmu" = "no"; then
-    audio_drv_list=""
-fi
-
 ##########################################
 # L2TPV3 probe
 
@@ -2984,130 +2950,6 @@ EOF
   fi
 fi
 
-##########################################
-# detect CoreAudio
-if test "$coreaudio" != "no" ; then
-  coreaudio_libs="-framework CoreAudio"
-  cat > $TMPC << EOF
-#include <CoreAudio/CoreAudio.h>
-int main(void)
-{
-  return (int)AudioGetCurrentHostTime();
-}
-EOF
-  if compile_prog "" "$coreaudio_libs" ; then
-    coreaudio=yes
-  else
-    coreaudio=no
-  fi
-fi
-
-##########################################
-# Sound support libraries probe
-
-audio_drv_list=$(echo "$audio_drv_list" | sed -e 's/,/ /g')
-for drv in $audio_drv_list; do
-    case $drv in
-    alsa | try-alsa)
-    if $pkg_config alsa --exists; then
-        alsa_libs=$($pkg_config alsa --libs)
-        alsa_cflags=$($pkg_config alsa --cflags)
-        alsa=yes
-        if test "$drv" = "try-alsa"; then
-            audio_drv_list=$(echo "$audio_drv_list" | sed -e 's/try-alsa/alsa/')
-        fi
-    else
-        if test "$drv" = "try-alsa"; then
-            audio_drv_list=$(echo "$audio_drv_list" | sed -e 's/try-alsa//')
-        else
-            error_exit "$drv check failed" \
-                "Make sure to have the $drv libs and headers installed."
-        fi
-    fi
-    ;;
-
-    pa | try-pa)
-    if $pkg_config libpulse --exists; then
-        libpulse=yes
-        pulse_libs=$($pkg_config libpulse --libs)
-        pulse_cflags=$($pkg_config libpulse --cflags)
-        if test "$drv" = "try-pa"; then
-            audio_drv_list=$(echo "$audio_drv_list" | sed -e 's/try-pa/pa/')
-        fi
-    else
-        if test "$drv" = "try-pa"; then
-            audio_drv_list=$(echo "$audio_drv_list" | sed -e 's/try-pa//')
-        else
-            error_exit "$drv check failed" \
-                "Make sure to have the $drv libs and headers installed."
-        fi
-    fi
-    ;;
-
-    sdl)
-    if test "$sdl" = "no"; then
-        error_exit "sdl not found or disabled, can not use sdl audio driver"
-    fi
-    ;;
-
-    try-sdl)
-    if test "$sdl" = "no"; then
-        audio_drv_list=$(echo "$audio_drv_list" | sed -e 's/try-sdl//')
-    else
-        audio_drv_list=$(echo "$audio_drv_list" | sed -e 's/try-sdl/sdl/')
-    fi
-    ;;
-
-    coreaudio | try-coreaudio)
-    if test "$coreaudio" = "no"; then
-      if test "$drv" = "try-coreaudio"; then
-        audio_drv_list=$(echo "$audio_drv_list" | sed -e 's/try-coreaudio//')
-      else
-        error_exit "$drv check failed" \
-                "Make sure to have the $drv is available."
-      fi
-    else
-      coreaudio_libs="-framework CoreAudio"
-      if test "$drv" = "try-coreaudio"; then
-        audio_drv_list=$(echo "$audio_drv_list" | sed -e 's/try-coreaudio/coreaudio/')
-      fi
-    fi
-    ;;
-
-    dsound)
-      dsound_libs="-lole32 -ldxguid"
-    ;;
-
-    oss)
-      oss_libs="$oss_lib"
-    ;;
-
-    jack | try-jack)
-    if $pkg_config jack --exists; then
-        libjack=yes
-        jack_libs=$($pkg_config jack --libs)
-        if test "$drv" = "try-jack"; then
-            audio_drv_list=$(echo "$audio_drv_list" | sed -e 's/try-jack/jack/')
-        fi
-    else
-        if test "$drv" = "try-jack"; then
-            audio_drv_list=$(echo "$audio_drv_list" | sed -e 's/try-jack//')
-        else
-            error_exit "$drv check failed" \
-                "Make sure to have the $drv libs and headers installed."
-        fi
-    fi
-    ;;
-
-    *)
-    echo "$audio_possible_drivers" | grep -q "\<$drv\>" || {
-        error_exit "Unknown driver '$drv' selected" \
-            "Possible drivers are: $audio_possible_drivers"
-    }
-    ;;
-    esac
-done
-
 ##########################################
 # plugin linker support probe
 
@@ -4538,28 +4380,6 @@ fi
 if test "$gprof" = "yes" ; then
   echo "CONFIG_GPROF=y" >> $config_host_mak
 fi
-echo "CONFIG_AUDIO_DRIVERS=$audio_drv_list" >> $config_host_mak
-for drv in $audio_drv_list; do
-    def=CONFIG_AUDIO_$(echo $drv | LC_ALL=C tr '[a-z]' '[A-Z]')
-    echo "$def=y" >> $config_host_mak
-done
-if test "$alsa" = "yes" ; then
-    echo "CONFIG_ALSA=y" >> $config_host_mak
-fi
-echo "ALSA_LIBS=$alsa_libs" >> $config_host_mak
-echo "ALSA_CFLAGS=$alsa_cflags" >> $config_host_mak
-if test "$libpulse" = "yes" ; then
-    echo "CONFIG_LIBPULSE=y" >> $config_host_mak
-fi
-echo "PULSE_LIBS=$pulse_libs" >> $config_host_mak
-echo "PULSE_CFLAGS=$pulse_cflags" >> $config_host_mak
-echo "COREAUDIO_LIBS=$coreaudio_libs" >> $config_host_mak
-echo "DSOUND_LIBS=$dsound_libs" >> $config_host_mak
-echo "OSS_LIBS=$oss_libs" >> $config_host_mak
-if test "$libjack" = "yes" ; then
-    echo "CONFIG_LIBJACK=y" >> $config_host_mak
-fi
-echo "JACK_LIBS=$jack_libs" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "CONFIG_BDRV_RW_WHITELIST=$block_drv_rw_whitelist" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "CONFIG_BDRV_RO_WHITELIST=$block_drv_ro_whitelist" >> $config_host_mak
 if test "$block_drv_whitelist_tools" = "yes" ; then
@@ -5197,7 +5017,7 @@ if test "$skip_meson" = no; then
         -Dvhost_user_blk_server=$vhost_user_blk_server -Dmultiprocess=$multiprocess \
         -Dfuse=$fuse -Dfuse_lseek=$fuse_lseek -Dguest_agent_msi=$guest_agent_msi -Dbpf=$bpf\
         $(if test "$default_feature" = no; then echo "-Dauto_features=disabled"; fi) \
-	-Dtcg_interpreter=$tcg_interpreter \
+        -Daudio_drv_list=$audio_drv_list -Dtcg_interpreter=$tcg_interpreter \
         $cross_arg \
         "$PWD" "$source_path"
 
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index c1314baace..90d1b7ab61 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -428,20 +428,23 @@ vde = not_found
 if config_host.has_key('CONFIG_VDE')
   vde = declare_dependency(link_args: config_host['VDE_LIBS'].split())
 endif
+
 pulse = not_found
-if 'CONFIG_LIBPULSE' in config_host
-  pulse = declare_dependency(compile_args: config_host['PULSE_CFLAGS'].split(),
-                             link_args: config_host['PULSE_LIBS'].split())
+if not get_option('pa').auto() or (targetos == 'linux' and have_system)
+  pulse = dependency('libpulse', required: get_option('pa'),
+                     method: 'pkg-config', kwargs: static_kwargs)
 endif
 alsa = not_found
-if 'CONFIG_ALSA' in config_host
-  alsa = declare_dependency(compile_args: config_host['ALSA_CFLAGS'].split(),
-                            link_args: config_host['ALSA_LIBS'].split())
+if not get_option('alsa').auto() or (targetos == 'linux' and have_system)
+  alsa = dependency('alsa', required: get_option('alsa'),
+                    method: 'pkg-config', kwargs: static_kwargs)
 endif
 jack = not_found
-if 'CONFIG_LIBJACK' in config_host
-  jack = declare_dependency(link_args: config_host['JACK_LIBS'].split())
+if not get_option('jack').auto() or have_system
+  jack = dependency('jack', required: get_option('jack'),
+                    method: 'pkg-config', kwargs: static_kwargs)
 endif
+
 spice = not_found
 spice_headers = not_found
 spice_protocol = not_found
@@ -801,16 +804,59 @@ if liblzfse.found() and not cc.links('''
 endif
 
 oss = not_found
-if 'CONFIG_AUDIO_OSS' in config_host
-  oss = declare_dependency(link_args: config_host['OSS_LIBS'].split())
+if not get_option('oss').auto() or have_system
+  if not cc.has_header('sys/soundcard.h')
+    # not found
+  elif targetos == 'netbsd'
+    oss = cc.find_library('ossaudio', required: get_option('oss'),
+                          kwargs: static_kwargs)
+  else
+    oss = declare_dependency()
+  endif
+
+  if not oss.found()
+    if get_option('oss').enabled()
+      error('OSS not found')
+    else
+      warning('OSS not found, disabling')
+    endif
+  endif
 endif
 dsound = not_found
-if 'CONFIG_AUDIO_DSOUND' in config_host
-  dsound = declare_dependency(link_args: config_host['DSOUND_LIBS'].split())
+if not get_option('dsound').auto() or (targetos == 'windows' and have_system)
+  if cc.has_header('dsound.h')
+    dsound = declare_dependency(link_args: ['-lole32', '-ldxguid'])
+  endif
+
+  if not dsound.found()
+    if get_option('dsound').enabled()
+      error('DirectSound not found')
+    else
+      warning('DirectSound not found, disabling')
+    endif
+  endif
 endif
+
 coreaudio = not_found
-if 'CONFIG_AUDIO_COREAUDIO' in config_host
-  coreaudio = declare_dependency(link_args: config_host['COREAUDIO_LIBS'].split())
+if not get_option('coreaudio').auto() or (targetos == 'darwin' and have_system)
+  coreaudio = dependency('appleframeworks', modules: 'CoreAudio',
+                         required: get_option('coreaudio'))
+  if coreaudio.found() and not cc.links('''
+    #include <CoreAudio/CoreAudio.h>
+    int main(void)
+    {
+      return (int)AudioGetCurrentHostTime();
+    }''')
+    coreaudio = not_found
+  endif
+
+  if not coreaudio.found()
+    if get_option('coreaudio').enabled()
+      error('CoreAudio not found')
+    else
+      warning('CoreAudio not found, disabling')
+    endif
+  endif
 endif
 
 opengl = not_found
@@ -1156,6 +1202,49 @@ if libbpf.found() and not cc.links('''
   endif
 endif
 
+#################
+# config-host.h #
+#################
+
+audio_drivers_selected = []
+if have_system
+  audio_drivers_available = {
+    'alsa': alsa.found(),
+    'coreaudio': coreaudio.found(),
+    'dsound': dsound.found(),
+    'jack': jack.found(),
+    'oss': oss.found(),
+    'pa': pulse.found(),
+    'sdl': sdl.found(),
+  }
+
+  # Default to native drivers first, OSS second, SDL third
+  audio_drivers_priority = \
+    [ 'pa', 'coreaudio', 'dsound', 'oss' ] + \
+    (targetos == 'linux' ? [] : [ 'sdl' ])
+  audio_drivers_default = []
+  foreach k: audio_drivers_priority
+    if audio_drivers_available[k]
+      audio_drivers_default += k
+    endif
+  endforeach
+
+  foreach k: get_option('audio_drv_list')
+    if k == 'default'
+      audio_drivers_selected += audio_drivers_default
+    elif not audio_drivers_available[k]
+      error('Audio driver "@0@" not available.'.format(k))
+    else
+      audio_drivers_selected += k
+    endif
+  endforeach
+endif
+foreach k: audio_drivers_selected
+  config_host_data.set('CONFIG_AUDIO_' + k.to_upper(), true)
+endforeach
+config_host_data.set('CONFIG_AUDIO_DRIVERS',
+                     '"' + '", "'.join(audio_drivers_selected) + '", ')
+
 if get_option('cfi')
   cfi_flags=[]
   # Check for dependency on LTO
@@ -1199,10 +1288,6 @@ endif
 have_host_block_device = (targetos != 'darwin' or
     cc.has_header('IOKit/storage/IOMedia.h'))
 
-#################
-# config-host.h #
-#################
-
 have_virtfs = (targetos == 'linux' and
     have_system and
     libattr.found() and
@@ -1446,7 +1531,7 @@ config_host_data.set('HAVE_BROKEN_SIZE_MAX', not cc.compiles('''
 
 
 ignored = ['CONFIG_QEMU_INTERP_PREFIX'] # actually per-target
-arrays = ['CONFIG_AUDIO_DRIVERS', 'CONFIG_BDRV_RW_WHITELIST', 'CONFIG_BDRV_RO_WHITELIST']
+arrays = ['CONFIG_BDRV_RW_WHITELIST', 'CONFIG_BDRV_RO_WHITELIST']
 strings = ['HOST_DSOSUF', 'CONFIG_IASL']
 foreach k, v: config_host
   if ignored.contains(k)
@@ -2880,7 +2965,7 @@ if config_host.has_key('CONFIG_MODULES')
 endif
 summary_info += {'fuzzing support':   config_host.has_key('CONFIG_FUZZ')}
 if have_system
-  summary_info += {'Audio drivers':     config_host['CONFIG_AUDIO_DRIVERS']}
+  summary_info += {'Audio drivers':     ' '.join(audio_drivers_selected)}
 endif
 summary_info += {'Trace backends':    config_host['TRACE_BACKENDS']}
 if config_host['TRACE_BACKENDS'].split().contains('simple')
@@ -3068,6 +3153,18 @@ if vnc.found()
   summary_info += {'VNC JPEG support':  jpeg}
   summary_info += {'VNC PNG support':   png}
 endif
+if targetos not in ['darwin', 'haiku', 'windows']
+  summary_info += {'OSS support':     oss}
+elif targetos == 'darwin'
+  summary_info += {'CoreAudio support': coreaudio}
+elif targetos == 'windows'
+  summary_info += {'DirectSound support': dsound}
+endif
+if targetos == 'linux'
+  summary_info += {'ALSA support':    alsa}
+  summary_info += {'PulseAudio support': pulse}
+endif
+summary_info += {'JACK support':      jack}
 summary_info += {'brlapi support':    brlapi}
 summary_info += {'vde support':       config_host.has_key('CONFIG_VDE')}
 summary_info += {'netmap support':    config_host.has_key('CONFIG_NETMAP')}
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 2c89e79e8b..052c4f088e 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -6,9 +6,12 @@ option('qemu_firmwarepath', type : 'string', value : '',
        description: 'search PATH for firmware files')
 option('sphinx_build', type : 'string', value : '',
        description: 'Use specified sphinx-build [$sphinx_build] for building document (default to be empty)')
-
 option('default_devices', type : 'boolean', value : true,
        description: 'Include a default selection of devices in emulators')
+option('audio_drv_list', type: 'array', value: ['default'],
+       choices: ['alsa', 'coreaudio', 'default', 'dsound', 'jack', 'oss', 'pa', 'sdl'],
+       description: 'Set audio driver list')
+
 option('docs', type : 'feature', value : 'auto',
        description: 'Documentations build support')
 option('gettext', type : 'feature', value : 'auto',
@@ -139,6 +142,19 @@ option('fuse', type: 'feature', value: 'auto',
 option('fuse_lseek', type : 'feature', value : 'auto',
        description: 'SEEK_HOLE/SEEK_DATA support for FUSE exports')
 
+option('alsa', type: 'feature', value: 'auto',
+       description: 'ALSA sound support')
+option('coreaudio', type: 'feature', value: 'auto',
+       description: 'CoreAudio sound support')
+option('dsound', type: 'feature', value: 'auto',
+       description: 'DirectSound sound support')
+option('jack', type: 'feature', value: 'auto',
+       description: 'JACK sound support')
+option('oss', type: 'feature', value: 'auto',
+       description: 'OSS sound support')
+option('pa', type: 'feature', value: 'auto',
+       description: 'PulseAudio sound support')
+
 option('vhost_user_blk_server', type: 'feature', value: 'auto',
        description: 'build vhost-user-blk server')
 option('virtfs', type: 'feature', value: 'auto',