diff --git a/sys/dev/sound/pcm/sound.h b/sys/dev/sound/pcm/sound.h
--- a/sys/dev/sound/pcm/sound.h
+++ b/sys/dev/sound/pcm/sound.h
@@ -411,6 +411,10 @@
 void	sound_oss_sysinfo(oss_sysinfo *);
 int	sound_oss_card_info(oss_card_info *);
 
+#define PCM_MODE_NONE		0x00
+#define PCM_MODE_PLAY		0x01
+#define PCM_MODE_REC		0x02
+
 #define PCM_LOCKOWNED(d)	mtx_owned((d)->lock)
 #define	PCM_LOCK(d)		mtx_lock((d)->lock)
 #define	PCM_UNLOCK(d)		mtx_unlock((d)->lock)
diff --git a/sys/dev/sound/pcm/sound.c b/sys/dev/sound/pcm/sound.c
--- a/sys/dev/sound/pcm/sound.c
+++ b/sys/dev/sound/pcm/sound.c
@@ -1012,12 +1012,28 @@
     "global clone garbage collector");
 #endif
 
+static u_int8_t
+pcm_mode_init(struct snddev_info *d)
+{
+	u_int8_t mode = PCM_MODE_NONE;
+
+	if (d->playcount > 0)
+		mode |= PCM_MODE_PLAY;
+	if (d->reccount > 0)
+		mode |= PCM_MODE_REC;
+
+	return (mode);
+}
+
 static void
 pcm_sysinit(device_t dev)
 {
   	struct snddev_info *d = device_get_softc(dev);
+	u_int8_t mode;
+
+	mode = pcm_mode_init(d);
 
-  	/* XXX: an user should be able to set this with a control tool, the
+	/* XXX: a user should be able to set this with a control tool, the
 	   sysadmin then needs min+max sysctls for this */
 	SYSCTL_ADD_UINT(device_get_sysctl_ctx(dev),
 	    SYSCTL_CHILDREN(device_get_sysctl_tree(dev)),
@@ -1027,6 +1043,10 @@
 	    "bitperfect", CTLTYPE_INT | CTLFLAG_RWTUN, d, sizeof(d),
 	    sysctl_dev_pcm_bitperfect, "I",
 	    "bit-perfect playback/recording (0=disable, 1=enable)");
+	SYSCTL_ADD_UINT(device_get_sysctl_ctx(dev),
+	    SYSCTL_CHILDREN(device_get_sysctl_tree(dev)),
+	    OID_AUTO, "mode", CTLFLAG_RD, NULL, mode,
+	    "mode (0=none, 1=play, 2=rec, 3=play+rec)");
 #ifdef SND_DEBUG
 	SYSCTL_ADD_PROC(device_get_sysctl_ctx(dev),
 	    SYSCTL_CHILDREN(device_get_sysctl_tree(dev)), OID_AUTO,
@@ -1130,7 +1150,7 @@
 	sysctl_ctx_init(&d->rec_sysctl_ctx);
 	d->rec_sysctl_tree = SYSCTL_ADD_NODE(&d->rec_sysctl_ctx,
 	    SYSCTL_CHILDREN(device_get_sysctl_tree(dev)), OID_AUTO, "rec",
-	    CTLFLAG_RD, 0, "record channels node");
+	    CTLFLAG_RD, 0, "recording channels node");
 
 	if (numplay > 0 || numrec > 0)
 		d->flags |= SD_F_AUTOVCHAN;