diff --git a/src/mod/endpoints/mod_portaudio/conf/autoload_configs/portaudio.conf.xml b/src/mod/endpoints/mod_portaudio/conf/autoload_configs/portaudio.conf.xml
index 02c21ef449..1a69eeb43b 100644
--- a/src/mod/endpoints/mod_portaudio/conf/autoload_configs/portaudio.conf.xml
+++ b/src/mod/endpoints/mod_portaudio/conf/autoload_configs/portaudio.conf.xml
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@
     <!--audio sample rate and interval -->
     <param name="sample-rate" value="48000"/>
     <param name="codec-ms" value="20"/>
+
+    <!--uncomment the following line to make mod_portaudio fail to load if it fails to find a device-->
+    <param name="unload-on-device-fail" value="true"/>
   </settings>
 
   <!-- 
diff --git a/src/mod/endpoints/mod_portaudio/mod_portaudio.c b/src/mod/endpoints/mod_portaudio/mod_portaudio.c
index f5487486ce..10685f3adf 100644
--- a/src/mod/endpoints/mod_portaudio/mod_portaudio.c
+++ b/src/mod/endpoints/mod_portaudio/mod_portaudio.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
  * 
  * Anthony Minessale II <anthm@freeswitch.org>
  * Moises Silva <moises.silva@gmail.com> (Multiple endpoints work sponsored by Comrex Corporation)
+ * Raymond Chandler <intralanman@freeswitch.org>
  *
  *
  * mod_portaudio.c -- PortAudio Endpoint Module
@@ -185,6 +186,7 @@ static struct {
 	int indev;
 	int outdev;
 	int call_id;
+	int unload_device_fail;
 	switch_hash_t *call_hash;
 	switch_mutex_t *device_lock;
 	switch_mutex_t *pvt_lock;
@@ -1653,6 +1655,7 @@ static switch_status_t load_config(void)
 	globals.no_ring_during_call = 0;
 	globals.indev = globals.outdev = globals.ringdev = -1;
 	globals.sample_rate = 8000;
+	globals.unload_device_fail = 0;
 
 	if ((settings = switch_xml_child(cfg, "settings"))) {
 		for (param = switch_xml_child(settings, "param"); param; param = param->next) {
@@ -1729,6 +1732,8 @@ static switch_status_t load_config(void)
 				} else {
 					globals.ringdev = get_dev_by_name(val, 0);
 				}
+			} else if (!strcasecmp(var, "unload-on-device-fail")) {
+				globals.unload_device_fail = switch_true(val);
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -1761,21 +1766,27 @@ static switch_status_t load_config(void)
 
 	if (globals.indev < 0) {
 		globals.indev = get_dev_by_name(NULL, 1);
+		switch_log_printf(SWITCH_CHANNEL_LOG, SWITCH_LOG_DEBUG, "global indev [%d]\n", globals.indev);
 		if (globals.indev > -1) {
 			switch_log_printf(SWITCH_CHANNEL_LOG, SWITCH_LOG_WARNING, "Switching to default input device\n");
 		} else {
 			switch_log_printf(SWITCH_CHANNEL_LOG, SWITCH_LOG_ERROR, "Cannot find an input device\n");
-			status = SWITCH_STATUS_GENERR;
+			if (globals.unload_device_fail) {
+				status = SWITCH_STATUS_GENERR;
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
 	if (globals.outdev < 0) {
 		globals.outdev = get_dev_by_name(NULL, 0);
+		switch_log_printf(SWITCH_CHANNEL_LOG, SWITCH_LOG_DEBUG, "global outdev [%d]\n", globals.outdev);
 		if (globals.outdev > -1) {
 			switch_log_printf(SWITCH_CHANNEL_LOG, SWITCH_LOG_WARNING, "Switching to default output device\n");
 		} else {
 			switch_log_printf(SWITCH_CHANNEL_LOG, SWITCH_LOG_ERROR, "Cannot find an output device\n");
-			status = SWITCH_STATUS_GENERR;
+			if (globals.unload_device_fail) {
+				status = SWITCH_STATUS_GENERR;
+			}
 		}
 	}