diff --git a/audio/audio.h b/audio/audio.h
index ad2457f4de95..3257165b0541 100644
--- a/audio/audio.h
+++ b/audio/audio.h
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 
 #include "qemu/queue.h"
 #include "qapi/qapi-types-audio.h"
+#include "hw/qdev-properties.h"
 
 typedef void (*audio_callback_fn) (void *opaque, int avail);
 
@@ -181,4 +182,7 @@ void audio_legacy_help(void);
 AudioState *audio_state_by_name(const char *name);
 const char *audio_get_id(QEMUSoundCard *card);
 
+#define DEFINE_AUDIO_PROPERTIES(_s, _f)         \
+    DEFINE_PROP_AUDIODEV("audiodev", _s, _f)
+
 #endif /* QEMU_AUDIO_H */
diff --git a/include/hw/qdev-properties.h b/include/hw/qdev-properties.h
index bb34a614e2cc..2e98dd60db85 100644
--- a/include/hw/qdev-properties.h
+++ b/include/hw/qdev-properties.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ extern const PropertyInfo qdev_prop_blocksize;
 extern const PropertyInfo qdev_prop_pci_host_devaddr;
 extern const PropertyInfo qdev_prop_uuid;
 extern const PropertyInfo qdev_prop_arraylen;
+extern const PropertyInfo qdev_prop_audiodev;
 extern const PropertyInfo qdev_prop_link;
 extern const PropertyInfo qdev_prop_off_auto_pcibar;
 extern const PropertyInfo qdev_prop_pcie_link_speed;
@@ -234,6 +235,8 @@ extern const PropertyInfo qdev_prop_pcie_link_width;
             + type_check(QemuUUID, typeof_field(_state, _field)),  \
         .set_default = true,                                       \
         }
+#define DEFINE_PROP_AUDIODEV(_n, _s, _f) \
+    DEFINE_PROP(_n, _s, _f, qdev_prop_audiodev, QEMUSoundCard)
 
 #define DEFINE_PROP_END_OF_LIST()               \
     {}
diff --git a/hw/audio/ac97.c b/hw/audio/ac97.c
index 115ee51c7ca2..b4c0b690d720 100644
--- a/hw/audio/ac97.c
+++ b/hw/audio/ac97.c
@@ -1410,6 +1410,7 @@ static int ac97_init (PCIBus *bus)
 }
 
 static Property ac97_properties[] = {
+    DEFINE_AUDIO_PROPERTIES(AC97LinkState, card),
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT32 ("use_broken_id", AC97LinkState, use_broken_id, 0),
     DEFINE_PROP_END_OF_LIST (),
 };
diff --git a/hw/audio/adlib.c b/hw/audio/adlib.c
index 2f4aacbf43d8..64a1060b807a 100644
--- a/hw/audio/adlib.c
+++ b/hw/audio/adlib.c
@@ -299,6 +299,7 @@ static void adlib_realizefn (DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
 }
 
 static Property adlib_properties[] = {
+    DEFINE_AUDIO_PROPERTIES(AdlibState, card),
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT32 ("iobase",  AdlibState, port, 0x220),
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT32 ("freq",    AdlibState, freq,  44100),
     DEFINE_PROP_END_OF_LIST (),
diff --git a/hw/audio/cs4231a.c b/hw/audio/cs4231a.c
index d77a4e713e3f..5b7baeae256d 100644
--- a/hw/audio/cs4231a.c
+++ b/hw/audio/cs4231a.c
@@ -690,6 +690,7 @@ static int cs4231a_init (ISABus *bus)
 }
 
 static Property cs4231a_properties[] = {
+    DEFINE_AUDIO_PROPERTIES(CSState, card),
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT32 ("iobase",  CSState, port, 0x534),
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT32 ("irq",     CSState, irq,  9),
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT32 ("dma",     CSState, dma,  3),
diff --git a/hw/audio/es1370.c b/hw/audio/es1370.c
index 39deecbbc61b..88f886491b96 100644
--- a/hw/audio/es1370.c
+++ b/hw/audio/es1370.c
@@ -887,6 +887,11 @@ static int es1370_init (PCIBus *bus)
     return 0;
 }
 
+static Property es1370_properties[] = {
+    DEFINE_AUDIO_PROPERTIES(ES1370State, card),
+    DEFINE_PROP_END_OF_LIST(),
+};
+
 static void es1370_class_init (ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
 {
     DeviceClass *dc = DEVICE_CLASS (klass);
@@ -903,6 +908,7 @@ static void es1370_class_init (ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
     dc->desc = "ENSONIQ AudioPCI ES1370";
     dc->vmsd = &vmstate_es1370;
     dc->reset = es1370_on_reset;
+    dc->props = es1370_properties;
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo es1370_info = {
@@ -923,4 +929,3 @@ static void es1370_register_types (void)
 }
 
 type_init (es1370_register_types)
-
diff --git a/hw/audio/gus.c b/hw/audio/gus.c
index dbfe7cf63428..effec31d356d 100644
--- a/hw/audio/gus.c
+++ b/hw/audio/gus.c
@@ -299,6 +299,7 @@ static int GUS_init (ISABus *bus)
 }
 
 static Property gus_properties[] = {
+    DEFINE_AUDIO_PROPERTIES(GUSState, card),
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT32 ("freq",    GUSState, freq,        44100),
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT32 ("iobase",  GUSState, port,        0x240),
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT32 ("irq",     GUSState, emu.gusirq,  7),
diff --git a/hw/audio/hda-codec.c b/hw/audio/hda-codec.c
index 4fee0673d9ca..68fe1de987c2 100644
--- a/hw/audio/hda-codec.c
+++ b/hw/audio/hda-codec.c
@@ -841,6 +841,7 @@ static const VMStateDescription vmstate_hda_audio = {
 };
 
 static Property hda_audio_properties[] = {
+    DEFINE_AUDIO_PROPERTIES(HDAAudioState, card),
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT32("debug", HDAAudioState, debug,   0),
     DEFINE_PROP_BOOL("mixer", HDAAudioState, mixer,  true),
     DEFINE_PROP_BOOL("use-timer", HDAAudioState, use_timer,  true),
diff --git a/hw/audio/milkymist-ac97.c b/hw/audio/milkymist-ac97.c
index 481dde10a193..853b4ed8746b 100644
--- a/hw/audio/milkymist-ac97.c
+++ b/hw/audio/milkymist-ac97.c
@@ -330,6 +330,11 @@ static const VMStateDescription vmstate_milkymist_ac97 = {
     }
 };
 
+static Property milkymist_ac97_properties[] = {
+    DEFINE_AUDIO_PROPERTIES(MilkymistAC97State, card),
+    DEFINE_PROP_END_OF_LIST(),
+};
+
 static void milkymist_ac97_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
 {
     DeviceClass *dc = DEVICE_CLASS(klass);
@@ -337,6 +342,7 @@ static void milkymist_ac97_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
     dc->realize = milkymist_ac97_realize;
     dc->reset = milkymist_ac97_reset;
     dc->vmsd = &vmstate_milkymist_ac97;
+    dc->props = milkymist_ac97_properties;
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo milkymist_ac97_info = {
diff --git a/hw/audio/pcspk.c b/hw/audio/pcspk.c
index 016946d4b280..307c6647254a 100644
--- a/hw/audio/pcspk.c
+++ b/hw/audio/pcspk.c
@@ -209,6 +209,7 @@ static const VMStateDescription vmstate_spk = {
 };
 
 static Property pcspk_properties[] = {
+    DEFINE_AUDIO_PROPERTIES(PCSpkState, card),
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT32("iobase", PCSpkState, iobase,  -1),
     DEFINE_PROP_BOOL("migrate", PCSpkState, migrate,  true),
     DEFINE_PROP_END_OF_LIST(),
diff --git a/hw/audio/pl041.c b/hw/audio/pl041.c
index ca9139907880..c30417d46d51 100644
--- a/hw/audio/pl041.c
+++ b/hw/audio/pl041.c
@@ -625,6 +625,7 @@ static const VMStateDescription vmstate_pl041 = {
 };
 
 static Property pl041_device_properties[] = {
+    DEFINE_AUDIO_PROPERTIES(PL041State, codec.card),
     /* Non-compact FIFO depth property */
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT32("nc_fifo_depth", PL041State, fifo_depth,
                        DEFAULT_FIFO_DEPTH),
diff --git a/hw/audio/sb16.c b/hw/audio/sb16.c
index 3ad01f3599b4..7e50ab8a84a3 100644
--- a/hw/audio/sb16.c
+++ b/hw/audio/sb16.c
@@ -1422,6 +1422,7 @@ static int SB16_init (ISABus *bus)
 }
 
 static Property sb16_properties[] = {
+    DEFINE_AUDIO_PROPERTIES(SB16State, card),
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT32 ("version", SB16State, ver,  0x0405), /* 4.5 */
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT32 ("iobase",  SB16State, port, 0x220),
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT32 ("irq",     SB16State, irq,  5),
diff --git a/hw/audio/wm8750.c b/hw/audio/wm8750.c
index 9f6df5d59c9b..a8725abf6a37 100644
--- a/hw/audio/wm8750.c
+++ b/hw/audio/wm8750.c
@@ -702,6 +702,11 @@ void wm8750_set_bclk_in(void *opaque, int new_hz)
     wm8750_clk_update(s, 1);
 }
 
+static Property wm8750_properties[] = {
+    DEFINE_AUDIO_PROPERTIES(WM8750State, card),
+    DEFINE_PROP_END_OF_LIST(),
+};
+
 static void wm8750_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
 {
     DeviceClass *dc = DEVICE_CLASS(klass);
@@ -712,6 +717,7 @@ static void wm8750_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
     sc->recv = wm8750_rx;
     sc->send = wm8750_tx;
     dc->vmsd = &vmstate_wm8750;
+    dc->props = wm8750_properties;
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo wm8750_info = {
diff --git a/hw/core/qdev-properties-system.c b/hw/core/qdev-properties-system.c
index fceab9afd5ea..70bfd4809b17 100644
--- a/hw/core/qdev-properties-system.c
+++ b/hw/core/qdev-properties-system.c
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
  */
 
 #include "qemu/osdep.h"
+#include "audio/audio.h"
 #include "net/net.h"
 #include "hw/qdev-properties.h"
 #include "qapi/error.h"
@@ -353,6 +354,62 @@ const PropertyInfo qdev_prop_netdev = {
 };
 
 
+/* --- audiodev --- */
+static void get_audiodev(Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char* name,
+                         void *opaque, Error **errp)
+{
+    DeviceState *dev = DEVICE(obj);
+    Property *prop = opaque;
+    QEMUSoundCard *card = qdev_get_prop_ptr(dev, prop);
+    char *p = g_strdup(audio_get_id(card));
+
+    visit_type_str(v, name, &p, errp);
+    g_free(p);
+}
+
+static void set_audiodev(Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char* name,
+                         void *opaque, Error **errp)
+{
+    DeviceState *dev = DEVICE(obj);
+    Property *prop = opaque;
+    QEMUSoundCard *card = qdev_get_prop_ptr(dev, prop);
+    AudioState *state;
+    Error *local_err = NULL;
+    int err = 0;
+    char *str;
+
+    if (dev->realized) {
+        qdev_prop_set_after_realize(dev, name, errp);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    visit_type_str(v, name, &str, &local_err);
+    if (local_err) {
+        error_propagate(errp, local_err);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    state = audio_state_by_name(str);
+
+    if (!state) {
+        err = -ENOENT;
+        goto out;
+    }
+    card->state = state;
+
+out:
+    error_set_from_qdev_prop_error(errp, err, dev, prop, str);
+    g_free(str);
+}
+
+const PropertyInfo qdev_prop_audiodev = {
+    .name = "str",
+    .description = "ID of an audiodev to use as a backend",
+    /* release done on shutdown */
+    .get = get_audiodev,
+    .set = set_audiodev,
+};
+
 void qdev_prop_set_drive(DeviceState *dev, const char *name,
                          BlockBackend *value, Error **errp)
 {
diff --git a/hw/usb/dev-audio.c b/hw/usb/dev-audio.c
index d3ca3bd1ab9e..ae42e5a2f1d0 100644
--- a/hw/usb/dev-audio.c
+++ b/hw/usb/dev-audio.c
@@ -667,6 +667,7 @@ static const VMStateDescription vmstate_usb_audio = {
 };
 
 static Property usb_audio_properties[] = {
+    DEFINE_AUDIO_PROPERTIES(USBAudioState, card),
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT32("debug", USBAudioState, debug, 0),
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT32("buffer", USBAudioState, buffer,
                        32 * USBAUDIO_PACKET_SIZE),
