diff --git a/lib/libmixer/mixer.c b/lib/libmixer/mixer.c
--- a/lib/libmixer/mixer.c
+++ b/lib/libmixer/mixer.c
@@ -69,21 +69,18 @@
 	struct mixer *m = NULL;
 	struct mix_dev *dp;
 	const char *names[SOUND_MIXER_NRDEVICES] = SOUND_DEVICE_NAMES;
+	char *p;
 	int i;
 
 	if ((m = calloc(1, sizeof(struct mixer))) == NULL)
 		goto fail;
 
 	if (name != NULL) {
-		/* `name` does not start with "/dev/mixer". */
-		if (strncmp(name, BASEPATH, strlen(BASEPATH)) != 0) {
-			m->unit = -1;
-		} else {
-			/* `name` is "/dev/mixer" so, we'll use the default unit. */
-			if (strncmp(name, BASEPATH, strlen(name)) == 0)
-				goto dunit;
-			m->unit = strtol(name + strlen(BASEPATH), NULL, 10);
-		}
+		/* XXX: should we remove `const` altogether? */
+		p = basename((char *)name);
+		if (strncmp(p, "mixer", 5) == 0 && p[5] == '\0')
+			goto dunit;
+		(void)sscanf(p, "%*[^0123456789]%d", &m->unit);
 		(void)strlcpy(m->name, name, sizeof(m->name));
 	} else {
 dunit:
@@ -129,14 +126,13 @@
 		TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&m->devs, dp, devs);
 		m->ndev++;
 	}
-
-	/* The default device is always "vol". */
 	m->dev = TAILQ_FIRST(&m->devs);
 
 	return (m);
 fail:
-	if (m != NULL)
-		(void)mixer_close(m);
+	/* XXX: do we need this? */
+	/*if (m != NULL)*/
+		/*(void)mixer_close(m);*/
 
 	return (NULL);
 }