--- a/audio/ossaudio.c
+++ b/audio/ossaudio.c
@@ -289,7 +289,20 @@ static int oss_open (int in, struct oss_
     if (conf.policy >= 0) {
         int version;
 
-        if (ioctl (fd, OSS_GETVERSION, &version)) {
+        if (ioctl (fd, OSS_GETVERSION, &version)
+#if defined(__FreeBSD__) || defined(__FreeBSD_kernel__)
+            /*
+             * Looks like atm (20100109) FreeBSD knows OSS_GETVERSION
+             * since 7.x, but currently only on the mixer device (or in
+             * the Linuxolator), and in the native version that part of
+             * the code is in fact never reached so the ioctl fails anyway.
+             * Until this is fixed, just check the errno and if its what
+             * FreeBSD's sound drivers return atm assume SNDCTL_DSP_POLICY
+             * works.
+             */
+            && (version = 0x040000), (errno != EINVAL)
+#endif
+        ) {
             oss_logerr2 (errno, typ, "Failed to get OSS version\n");
         }
         else {