diff --git a/src/backend/mod.rs b/src/backend/mod.rs
index b990845d..838e32b5 100644
--- a/src/backend/mod.rs
+++ b/src/backend/mod.rs
@@ -829,14 +829,14 @@ fn get_default_device_id(devtype: DeviceType) -> std::result::Result<AudioObject
     }
 }
 
-fn audiounit_convert_channel_layout(layout: &AudioChannelLayout) -> Vec<mixer::Channel> {
+fn audiounit_convert_channel_layout(layout: &AudioChannelLayout) -> Result<Vec<mixer::Channel>> {
     if layout.mChannelLayoutTag != kAudioChannelLayoutTag_UseChannelDescriptions {
         // kAudioChannelLayoutTag_UseChannelBitmap
         // kAudioChannelLayoutTag_Mono
         // kAudioChannelLayoutTag_Stereo
         // ....
         cubeb_log!("Only handling UseChannelDescriptions for now.\n");
-        return Vec::new();
+        return Err(Error::error());
     }
 
     let channel_descriptions = unsafe {
@@ -852,10 +852,10 @@ fn audiounit_convert_channel_layout(layout: &AudioChannelLayout) -> Vec<mixer::C
         channels.push(label.into());
     }
 
-    channels
+    Ok(channels)
 }
 
-fn audiounit_get_preferred_channel_layout(output_unit: AudioUnit) -> Vec<mixer::Channel> {
+fn audiounit_get_preferred_channel_layout(output_unit: AudioUnit) -> Result<Vec<mixer::Channel>> {
     let mut rv = NO_ERR;
     let mut size: usize = 0;
     rv = audio_unit_get_property_info(
@@ -871,7 +871,7 @@ fn audiounit_get_preferred_channel_layout(output_unit: AudioUnit) -> Vec<mixer::
             "AudioUnitGetPropertyInfo/kAudioDevicePropertyPreferredChannelLayout rv={}",
             rv
         );
-        return Vec::new();
+        return Err(Error::error());
     }
     debug_assert!(size > 0);
 
@@ -889,7 +889,7 @@ fn audiounit_get_preferred_channel_layout(output_unit: AudioUnit) -> Vec<mixer::
             "AudioUnitGetProperty/kAudioDevicePropertyPreferredChannelLayout rv={}",
             rv
         );
-        return Vec::new();
+        return Err(Error::error());
     }
 
     audiounit_convert_channel_layout(layout.as_ref())
@@ -897,7 +897,7 @@ fn audiounit_get_preferred_channel_layout(output_unit: AudioUnit) -> Vec<mixer::
 
 // This is for output AudioUnit only. Calling this by input-only AudioUnit is prone
 // to crash intermittently.
-fn audiounit_get_current_channel_layout(output_unit: AudioUnit) -> Vec<mixer::Channel> {
+fn audiounit_get_current_channel_layout(output_unit: AudioUnit) -> Result<Vec<mixer::Channel>> {
     let mut rv = NO_ERR;
     let mut size: usize = 0;
     rv = audio_unit_get_property_info(
@@ -913,8 +913,7 @@ fn audiounit_get_current_channel_layout(output_unit: AudioUnit) -> Vec<mixer::Ch
             "AudioUnitGetPropertyInfo/kAudioUnitProperty_AudioChannelLayout rv={}",
             rv
         );
-        // This property isn't known before macOS 10.12, attempt another method.
-        return audiounit_get_preferred_channel_layout(output_unit);
+        return Err(Error::error());
     }
     debug_assert!(size > 0);
 
@@ -932,12 +931,25 @@ fn audiounit_get_current_channel_layout(output_unit: AudioUnit) -> Vec<mixer::Ch
             "AudioUnitGetProperty/kAudioUnitProperty_AudioChannelLayout rv={}",
             rv
         );
-        return Vec::new();
+        return Err(Error::error());
     }
 
     audiounit_convert_channel_layout(layout.as_ref())
 }
 
+fn get_channel_layout(output_unit: AudioUnit) -> Result<Vec<mixer::Channel>> {
+    audiounit_get_current_channel_layout(output_unit)
+        .or_else(|_| {
+            // The kAudioUnitProperty_AudioChannelLayout property isn't known before
+            // macOS 10.12, attempt another method.
+            cubeb_log!(
+                "Cannot get current channel layout for audiounit @ {:p}. Trying preferred channel layout.",
+                output_unit
+            );
+            audiounit_get_preferred_channel_layout(output_unit)
+        })
+}
+
 fn start_audiounit(unit: AudioUnit) -> Result<()> {
     let status = audio_output_unit_start(unit);
     if status == NO_ERR {
@@ -2956,20 +2968,22 @@ impl<'ctx> CoreStreamData<'ctx> {
                 e
             })?;
 
-            // XXX
-            let device_layout = if using_voice_processing_unit {
-                let mut channels = Vec::with_capacity(output_hw_desc.mChannelsPerFrame as usize);
-                match output_hw_desc.mChannelsPerFrame {
-                    1 => channels.push(mixer::Channel::FrontCenter),
-                    _ => {
-                        channels.push(mixer::Channel::FrontLeft);
-                        channels.push(mixer::Channel::FrontRight);
-                    }
-                }
-                channels
-            } else {
-                audiounit_get_current_channel_layout(self.output_unit)
-            };
+            let device_layout = self
+                .get_output_channel_layout()
+                .map_err(|e| {
+                    cubeb_log!(
+                        "({:p}) Could not get any channel layout. Defaulting to no channels.",
+                        self.stm_ptr
+                    );
+                    e
+                })
+                .unwrap_or_default();
+
+            cubeb_log!(
+                "({:p} Using output device channel layout {:?}",
+                self.stm_ptr,
+                device_layout
+            );
 
             // The mixer will be set up when
             // 1. using aggregate device whose input device has output channels
@@ -3445,6 +3459,26 @@ impl<'ctx> CoreStreamData<'ctx> {
 
         Ok(())
     }
+
+    fn get_output_channel_layout(&self) -> Result<Vec<mixer::Channel>> {
+        if self.input_unit != self.output_unit {
+            return get_channel_layout(self.output_unit);
+        }
+
+        // The VoiceProcessingIO unit (as tried on MacOS 14) is known to not support
+        // kAudioUnitProperty_AudioChannelLayout queries, and to lie about
+        // kAudioDevicePropertyPreferredChannelLayout. If we're using
+        // VoiceProcessingIO, try standing up a regular AudioUnit and query that.
+        cubeb_log!(
+            "({:p}) get_output_channel_layout with a VoiceProcessingIO output unit. Trying a dedicated unit.",
+            self.stm_ptr
+        );
+        let mut dedicated_unit = create_audiounit(&self.output_device)?;
+        let res = get_channel_layout(dedicated_unit);
+        dispose_audio_unit(dedicated_unit);
+        dedicated_unit = ptr::null_mut();
+        res
+    }
 }
 
 impl<'ctx> Drop for CoreStreamData<'ctx> {
diff --git a/src/backend/tests/api.rs b/src/backend/tests/api.rs
index 8322162d..319b27f5 100644
--- a/src/backend/tests/api.rs
+++ b/src/backend/tests/api.rs
@@ -700,7 +700,7 @@ fn test_convert_channel_layout() {
         }
         let layout_ref = unsafe { &(*(&layout as *const TestLayout as *const AudioChannelLayout)) };
         assert_eq!(
-            &audiounit_convert_channel_layout(layout_ref),
+            &audiounit_convert_channel_layout(layout_ref).unwrap(),
             expected_layout
         );
     }
@@ -711,7 +711,9 @@ fn test_convert_channel_layout() {
 #[test]
 fn test_get_preferred_channel_layout_output() {
     match test_get_default_audiounit(Scope::Output) {
-        Some(unit) => assert!(!audiounit_get_preferred_channel_layout(unit.get_inner()).is_empty()),
+        Some(unit) => assert!(!audiounit_get_preferred_channel_layout(unit.get_inner())
+            .unwrap()
+            .is_empty()),
         None => println!("No output audiounit for test."),
     }
 }
@@ -721,7 +723,9 @@ fn test_get_preferred_channel_layout_output() {
 #[test]
 fn test_get_current_channel_layout_output() {
     match test_get_default_audiounit(Scope::Output) {
-        Some(unit) => assert!(!audiounit_get_current_channel_layout(unit.get_inner()).is_empty()),
+        Some(unit) => assert!(!audiounit_get_current_channel_layout(unit.get_inner())
+            .unwrap()
+            .is_empty()),
         None => println!("No output audiounit for test."),
     }
 }