diff --git a/client_notification_test.go b/client_notification_test.go
index 59b3bf4..c39eba6 100644
--- a/client_notification_test.go
+++ b/client_notification_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
@@ -8,10 +9,24 @@ import (
 	"unicode/utf8"
 
 	"git.stormux.org/storm/barnard/gumble/gumble"
+	"git.stormux.org/storm/barnard/gumble/gumbleopenal"
 )
 
 // Regression: HTML escaping left terminal control sequences in server text,
 // allowing ANSI/OSC sequences to alter the terminal that rendered it.
+// Regression: a capture-device open error left the application alive with no
+// usable microphone. These errors are fatal and use the post-TUI stderr path.
+func TestFatalAudioOpenError(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, err := range []error{gumbleopenal.ErrMic, gumbleopenal.ErrInputDevice, gumbleopenal.ErrOutputDevice, fmt.Errorf("wrapped: %w", gumbleopenal.ErrMic)} {
+		if !fatalAudioOpenError(err) {
+			t.Fatalf("%v was not fatal", err)
+		}
+	}
+	if fatalAudioOpenError(gumbleopenal.ErrState) {
+		t.Fatal("state error should remain recoverable")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestEscRemovesTerminalControlSequences(t *testing.T) {
 	got := esc("name\x1b]0;spoof\a\x7f\u202e")
 	if got != "name]0;spoof" {
diff --git a/ui.go b/ui.go
index 9c9d3cc..972387d 100644
--- a/ui.go
+++ b/ui.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
@@ -8,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"unicode"
 
 	"git.stormux.org/storm/barnard/gumble/gumble"
+	"git.stormux.org/storm/barnard/gumble/gumbleopenal"
 	"git.stormux.org/storm/barnard/uiterm"
 	"github.com/kennygrant/sanitize"
 	"github.com/nsf/termbox-go"
@@ -328,6 +330,13 @@ func (b *Barnard) setTransmit(ui *uiterm.Ui, val int) {
 		} else {
 			err := b.Stream.StartSource(b.UserConfig.GetInputDevice())
 			if err != nil {
+				b.Tx = false
+				if fatalAudioOpenError(err) {
+					// A missing capture device cannot recover through normal
+					// transmission controls; exit so option 1 reports it on stderr.
+					b.exitWithError(fmt.Errorf("audio device initialization failed: %w", err))
+					return
+				}
 				b.Notify("error", "me", err.Error())
 				b.UpdateGeneralStatus(err.Error(), true)
 			} else {
@@ -338,6 +347,10 @@ func (b *Barnard) setTransmit(ui *uiterm.Ui, val int) {
 	}
 }
 
+func fatalAudioOpenError(err error) bool {
+	return errors.Is(err, gumbleopenal.ErrMic) || errors.Is(err, gumbleopenal.ErrInputDevice) || errors.Is(err, gumbleopenal.ErrOutputDevice)
+}
+
 func (b *Barnard) OnMicVolumeDown(ui *uiterm.Ui, key uiterm.Key) {
 	if b.ToneTest || b.Stream == nil {
 		return