diff --git a/audio/audiorenderer.cpp b/audio/audiorenderer.cpp
index 81f81570..cc87ed48 100644
--- a/audio/audiorenderer.cpp
+++ b/audio/audiorenderer.cpp
@@ -272,7 +272,9 @@ openal_source::clear() {
 
 openal_renderer::~openal_renderer() {
 
+#ifdef ALC_SOFT_system_events
     if( m_alcEventCallbackSOFT != nullptr ) { m_alcEventCallbackSOFT( nullptr, nullptr ); } // stop callbacks before teardown
+#endif
 
     ::alcMakeContextCurrent( nullptr );
 
@@ -280,6 +282,7 @@ openal_renderer::~openal_renderer() {
     if( m_device != nullptr )  { ::alcCloseDevice( m_device ); }
 }
 
+#ifdef ALC_SOFT_system_events
 // invoked by OpenAL (possibly on an internal thread) on device events; only flags the change,
 // the actual reopen is done on the main thread in update()
 void ALC_APIENTRY
@@ -291,6 +294,7 @@ openal_renderer::device_event_callback( ALCenum eventtype, ALCenum devicetype, A
      && eventtype != ALC_EVENT_TYPE_DEVICE_REMOVED_SOFT ) { return; }
     static_cast<openal_renderer*>( userparam )->m_outputchanged.store( true );
 }
+#endif
 
 audio::buffer_handle
 openal_renderer::fetch_buffer( std::string const &Filename ) {
@@ -642,6 +646,7 @@ openal_renderer::init_caps() {
     if( !m_alcReopenDeviceSOFT )
         WriteLog( "sound: warning: extension ALC_SOFT_reopen_device not found; audio output device changes won't be followed" );
 
+#ifdef ALC_SOFT_system_events
     // prefer event-driven output following (ALC_SOFT_system_events) over polling: it reliably
     // catches both device removal and default-output changes, incl. re-plugging headphones
     if( m_alcReopenDeviceSOFT != nullptr
@@ -656,6 +661,7 @@ openal_renderer::init_caps() {
             WriteLog( "sound: following audio output device changes via ALC_SOFT_system_events" );
         }
     }
+#endif
 
     return true;
 }
diff --git a/audio/audiorenderer.h b/audio/audiorenderer.h
index ec26ec82..81cc3a2b 100644
--- a/audio/audiorenderer.h
+++ b/audio/audiorenderer.h
@@ -152,14 +152,17 @@ private:
     ALCint m_contextattributes[3] { 0, 0, 0 };
     double m_devicechecktime { 0.0 };
 
+    bool m_usedeviceevents { false };
+    std::atomic<bool> m_outputchanged { false }; // set from the (possibly off-thread) event callback
+#ifdef ALC_SOFT_system_events
     // ALC_SOFT_system_events: event-driven following of output-device / default-output changes.
     // Preferred over polling because it reliably catches both device removal and default changes
     // (e.g. re-plugging headphones), which alcGetString(DEFAULT_ALL_DEVICES) does not report live.
+    // Requires OpenAL Soft >= 1.24; on older headers this is compiled out and we poll instead.
     LPALCEVENTCONTROLSOFT m_alcEventControlSOFT { nullptr };
     LPALCEVENTCALLBACKSOFT m_alcEventCallbackSOFT { nullptr };
-    bool m_usedeviceevents { false };
-    std::atomic<bool> m_outputchanged { false }; // set from the (possibly off-thread) event callback
     static void ALC_APIENTRY device_event_callback( ALCenum eventtype, ALCenum devicetype, ALCdevice *device, ALCsizei length, ALCchar const *message, void *userparam ) noexcept;
+#endif
 };
 
 extern openal_renderer renderer;