diff --git a/core/oslib/audiobackend_libao.cpp b/core/oslib/audiobackend_libao.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1445c1492
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/oslib/audiobackend_libao.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+#include "oslib/audiobackend_libao.h"
+#ifdef USE_LIBAO
+
+#include <ao/ao.h>
+
+static ao_device *aodevice;
+static ao_sample_format aoformat;
+
+static void libao_init()
+{
+	ao_initialize();
+	memset(&aoformat, 0, sizeof(aoformat));
+	
+	aoformat.bits = 16;
+	aoformat.channels = 2;
+	aoformat.rate = 44100;
+	aoformat.byte_format = AO_FMT_LITTLE;
+	
+	aodevice = ao_open_live(ao_default_driver_id(), &aoformat, NULL); // Live output
+	if (!aodevice)
+		aodevice = ao_open_live(ao_driver_id("null"), &aoformat, NULL);
+}
+
+static u32 libao_push(void* frame, u32 samples, bool wait)
+{
+	if (aodevice) 
+		ao_play(aodevice, (char*)frame, samples * 4);
+	
+	return 1;
+}
+
+static void libao_term() 
+{
+	if (aodevice)
+	{
+		ao_close(aodevice);
+		ao_shutdown();
+	}
+}
+
+audiobackend_t audiobackend_libao = {
+		"libao", // Slug
+		"libao", // Name
+		&libao_init,
+		&libao_push,
+		&libao_term
+};
+
+#endif
diff --git a/core/oslib/audiobackend_libao.h b/core/oslib/audiobackend_libao.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5bf957286
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/oslib/audiobackend_libao.h
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+#pragma once
+#include "oslib/audiostream.h"
+
+extern audiobackend_t audiobackend_libao;
diff --git a/core/oslib/audiostream.cpp b/core/oslib/audiostream.cpp
index 84c03d8dd..f89e783fb 100644
--- a/core/oslib/audiostream.cpp
+++ b/core/oslib/audiostream.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include "oslib/audiobackend_pulseaudio.h"
 #include "oslib/audiobackend_coreaudio.h"
 #include "oslib/audiobackend_omx.h"
+#include "oslib/audiobackend_libao.h"
 
 struct SoundFrame { s16 l;s16 r; };
 #define SAMPLE_COUNT 512
@@ -90,6 +91,9 @@ void RegisterAllAudioBackends() {
 		#if USE_PULSEAUDIO
 		RegisterAudioBackend(&audiobackend_pulseaudio);
 		#endif
+		#if USE_LIBAO
+		RegisterAudioBackend(&audiobackend_libao);
+		#endif
         #if HOST_OS == OS_DARWIN
         RegisterAudioBackend(&audiobackend_coreaudio);
         #endif
diff --git a/shell/cmake/CMakeLists.txt b/shell/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
index ab8780eed..c5d855c37 100644
--- a/shell/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/shell/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ endfunction()
 option(USE_SDL "Use SDL" OFF)
 option(USE_OSS "Use OSS" ON)
 option(USE_ALSA "Use ALSA" ON)
+option(USE_LIBAO "Use LibAO" OFF)
 option(USE_GLES "Use GL ES" OFF)
 option(USE_PULSEAUDIO "Use PulseAudio" OFF)
 option(USE_WEBUI "Use WebUI" ON)
@@ -151,6 +152,11 @@ if(USE_PULSEAUDIO)
   list(APPEND libs pulse-simple)
 endif()
 
+if(USE_LIBAO)
+  add_definitions(-DUSE_LIBAO)
+  list(APPEND libs ao)
+endif()
+
 # Graphic stuffs:
 
 if(USE_REND)
diff --git a/shell/linux/Makefile b/shell/linux/Makefile
index 8c12bf177..1854955a6 100644
--- a/shell/linux/Makefile
+++ b/shell/linux/Makefile
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ FOR_LINUX :=1
 WEBUI :=1
 USE_OSS := 1
 #USE_PULSEAUDIO := 1
+#USE_LIBAO := 1
 USE_EVDEV := 1
 
 CXX=${CC_PREFIX}g++
@@ -318,6 +319,11 @@ ifdef USE_PULSEAUDIO
     LIBS += `pkg-config --libs libpulse-simple`
 endif
 
+ifdef USE_LIBAO
+	CXXFLAGS += `pkg-config --cflags ao` -D USE_LIBAO
+	LIBS += `pkg-config --libs ao`
+endif
+
 ifdef HAS_SOFTREND
     CFLAGS += -fopenmp -msse4.1
     LDFLAGS += -fopenmp