diff --git a/audio/alsaaudio.c b/audio/alsaaudio.c
index cacae1ea59..9b6c01c0ef 100644
--- a/audio/alsaaudio.c
+++ b/audio/alsaaudio.c
@@ -899,7 +899,7 @@ static void alsa_enable_in(HWVoiceIn *hw, bool enable)
 static void alsa_init_per_direction(AudiodevAlsaPerDirectionOptions *apdo)
 {
     if (!apdo->has_try_poll) {
-        apdo->try_poll = true;
+        apdo->try_poll = false;
         apdo->has_try_poll = true;
     }
 }
diff --git a/qapi/audio.json b/qapi/audio.json
index dd5a58d13e..49633cf317 100644
--- a/qapi/audio.json
+++ b/qapi/audio.json
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@
 # @period-length: the period length in microseconds
 #
 # @try-poll: attempt to use poll mode, falling back to non-polling
-#     access on failure (default true)
+#     access on failure (default false)
 #
 # Since: 4.0
 ##
diff --git a/qemu-options.hx b/qemu-options.hx
index aab53bcfe8..7eb8e02b4b 100644
--- a/qemu-options.hx
+++ b/qemu-options.hx
@@ -965,7 +965,7 @@ SRST
         Sets the period length in microseconds.
 
     ``in|out.try-poll=on|off``
-        Attempt to use poll mode with the device. Default is on.
+        Attempt to use poll mode with the device. Default is off.
 
     ``threshold=threshold``
         Threshold (in microseconds) when playback starts. Default is 0.
@@ -1002,7 +1002,7 @@ SRST
     ``in|out.buffer-count=count``
         Sets the count of the buffers.
 
-    ``in|out.try-poll=on|of``
+    ``in|out.try-poll=on|off``
         Attempt to use poll mode with the device. Default is on.
 
     ``try-mmap=on|off``