--- /usr/bin/scratch	2013-08-17 01:36:38.000000000 -0700
+++ scratch	2014-04-19 20:01:19.396126969 -0700
@@ -101,6 +101,10 @@
 # if pulseaudio is running, use it.
 if pulseaudio --check 2>/dev/null ; then
     VMOPTIONS="$VMOPTIONS -vm-sound-pulse"
+# assume ALSA since OSS is default
+# TODO: find some test for ALSA with the fallback being -vm-sound-OSS
+else
+    VMOPTIONS="$VMOPTIONS -vm-sound-ALSA"
 fi
 
 # VM, Image, and Document are non-optional