diff --git a/server/scsynth/SC_PortAudio.cpp b/server/scsynth/SC_PortAudio.cpp
index f338ce412c6..f42b24d563a 100644
--- a/server/scsynth/SC_PortAudio.cpp
+++ b/server/scsynth/SC_PortAudio.cpp
@@ -278,18 +278,28 @@ bool SC_PortAudioDriver::DriverSetup(int* outNumSamples, double* outSampleRate)
                 pdi->maxInputChannels, pdi->maxOutputChannels);
     }
 
-    mDeviceInOut[0] = GetPaDeviceFromName(mWorld->hw->mInDeviceName, true);
-    mDeviceInOut[1] = GetPaDeviceFromName(mWorld->hw->mOutDeviceName, false);
+    auto* inDeviceName = mWorld->hw->mInDeviceName;
+    auto* outDeviceName = mWorld->hw->mOutDeviceName;
+    mDeviceInOut[0] = GetPaDeviceFromName(inDeviceName, true);
+    mDeviceInOut[1] = GetPaDeviceFromName(outDeviceName, false);
 
     // report requested devices
     fprintf(stdout, "\nRequested devices:\n");
     if (mWorld->mNumInputs) {
-        fprintf(stdout, "  In (matching device %sfound):\n  - %s\n", (mDeviceInOut[0] == paNoDevice ? "NOT " : ""),
-                mWorld->hw->mInDeviceName);
+        auto nameIsEmpty = (inDeviceName && !inDeviceName[0]) || (inDeviceName == nullptr);
+        fprintf(stdout, "  In%s:\n  - %s\n",
+                nameIsEmpty
+                    ? ""
+                    : (mDeviceInOut[0] == paNoDevice ? " (matching device NOT found)" : " (matching device found)"),
+                (nameIsEmpty ? "(default)" : inDeviceName));
     }
     if (mWorld->mNumOutputs) {
-        fprintf(stdout, "  Out (matching device %sfound):\n  - %s\n", (mDeviceInOut[1] == paNoDevice ? "NOT " : ""),
-                mWorld->hw->mOutDeviceName);
+        auto nameIsEmpty = (outDeviceName && !outDeviceName[0]) || (outDeviceName == nullptr);
+        fprintf(stdout, "  Out%s:\n  - %s\n",
+                nameIsEmpty
+                    ? ""
+                    : (mDeviceInOut[1] == paNoDevice ? " (matching device NOT found)" : " (matching device found)"),
+                (nameIsEmpty ? "(default)" : outDeviceName));
     }
 
     fprintf(stdout, "\n");
diff --git a/server/supernova/server/main.cpp b/server/supernova/server/main.cpp
index 0bf380202f9..5fdadba6323 100644
--- a/server/supernova/server/main.cpp
+++ b/server/supernova/server/main.cpp
@@ -172,9 +172,11 @@ void start_audio_backend(server_arguments const& args) {
     if (output_channels == 0)
         output_device.clear();
 
-    std::cout << "Requested audio devices:\n";
-    std::cout << "  In: " << input_device << "\n";
-    std::cout << "  Out: " << output_device << std::endl;
+    std::cout << "Requested audio devices:" << std::endl;
+    if (input_channels)
+        std::cout << "  In: " << (input_device.empty() ? "(default)" : input_device) << std::endl;
+    if (output_channels)
+        std::cout << "  Out: " << (output_device.empty() ? "(default)" : output_device) << std::endl;
 
     bool success = instance->open_stream(input_device, input_channels, output_device, output_channels, args.samplerate,
                                          args.blocksize, args.hardware_buffer_size);