diff --git a/src/sdl2/audio.rs b/src/sdl2/audio.rs
index e573e7fe..8abe5919 100644
--- a/src/sdl2/audio.rs
+++ b/src/sdl2/audio.rs
@@ -262,11 +262,15 @@ impl AudioDevice {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn open(device: &str, iscapture: int, spec: &AudioSpec) -> Result<(AudioDevice, ~AudioSpec), ~str> {
+    pub fn open(device: Option<&str>, iscapture: int, spec: &AudioSpec) -> Result<(AudioDevice, ~AudioSpec), ~str> {
         //! SDL_OpenAudioDevice
         let obtained = unsafe { mem::uninit::<AudioSpec>() };
         unsafe {
-            let ret = ll::SDL_OpenAudioDevice(device.to_c_str().unwrap(),
+            let device_c_str = match device {
+                None => ptr::null(),
+                Some(device) => device.to_c_str().unwrap(),
+            };
+            let ret = ll::SDL_OpenAudioDevice(device_c_str,
                                               iscapture as c_int,
                                               cast::transmute(spec),
                                               cast::transmute(&obtained),