diff --git a/libmpdemux/demuxer.c b/libmpdemux/demuxer.c
index 99f1be9fe8..32fc486e59 100644
--- a/libmpdemux/demuxer.c
+++ b/libmpdemux/demuxer.c
@@ -1618,61 +1618,54 @@ int demuxer_set_angle(demuxer_t *demuxer, int angle)
     return angle;
 }
 
-int demuxer_audio_track_by_lang(demuxer_t *d, char *lang)
+int demuxer_audio_track_by_lang_and_default(struct demuxer *d, char *lang)
 {
-    int i, len;
-    lang += strspn(lang, ",");
-    while ((len = strcspn(lang, ",")) > 0) {
-        for (i = 0; i < MAX_A_STREAMS; ++i) {
-            sh_audio_t *sh = d->a_streams[i];
-            if (sh && sh->lang && strncmp(sh->lang, lang, len) == 0)
-                return sh->aid;
-        }
-        lang += len;
+    if (!lang)
+        lang = "";
+    while (1) {
         lang += strspn(lang, ",");
-    }
-    return -1;
-}
-
-int demuxer_sub_track_by_lang(demuxer_t *d, char *lang)
-{
-    int i, len;
-    lang += strspn(lang, ",");
-    while ((len = strcspn(lang, ",")) > 0) {
-        for (i = 0; i < MAX_S_STREAMS; ++i) {
-            sh_sub_t *sh = d->s_streams[i];
-            if (sh && sh->lang && strncmp(sh->lang, lang, len) == 0)
-                return sh->sid;
+        int len = strcspn(lang, ",");
+        int id = -1;
+        for (int i = 0; i < MAX_A_STREAMS; i++) {
+            struct sh_audio *sh = d->a_streams[i];
+            if (sh && (!len || sh->lang && strlen(sh->lang) == len &&
+                       !memcmp(lang, sh->lang, len))) {
+                if (sh->default_track)
+                    return sh->aid;
+                if (id < 0)
+                    id = sh->aid;
+            }
         }
+        if (id >= 0)
+            return id;
+        if (!len)
+            return -1;
         lang += len;
+    }
+}
+
+int demuxer_sub_track_by_lang_and_default(struct demuxer *d, char *lang)
+{
+    if (!lang)
+        lang = "";
+    while (1) {
         lang += strspn(lang, ",");
+        int len = strcspn(lang, ",");
+        int id = -1;
+        for (int i = 0; i < MAX_A_STREAMS; i++) {
+            struct sh_audio *sh = d->a_streams[i];
+            if (sh && (!len || sh->lang && strlen(sh->lang) == len &&
+                       !memcmp(lang, sh->lang, len))) {
+                if (sh->default_track)
+                    return sh->aid;
+                if (id < 0)
+                    id = sh->aid;
+            }
+        }
+        if (!len)
+            return -1;
+        if (id >= 0)
+            return id;
+        lang += len;
     }
-    return -1;
-}
-
-int demuxer_default_audio_track(demuxer_t *d)
-{
-    int i;
-    for (i = 0; i < MAX_A_STREAMS; ++i) {
-        sh_audio_t *sh = d->a_streams[i];
-        if (sh && sh->default_track)
-            return sh->aid;
-    }
-    for (i = 0; i < MAX_A_STREAMS; ++i) {
-        sh_audio_t *sh = d->a_streams[i];
-        if (sh)
-            return sh->aid;
-    }
-    return -1;
-}
-
-int demuxer_default_sub_track(demuxer_t *d)
-{
-    int i;
-    for (i = 0; i < MAX_S_STREAMS; ++i) {
-        sh_sub_t *sh = d->s_streams[i];
-        if (sh && sh->default_track)
-            return sh->sid;
-    }
-    return -1;
 }
diff --git a/libmpdemux/demuxer.h b/libmpdemux/demuxer.h
index 2c200ead1e..63a34f30f6 100644
--- a/libmpdemux/demuxer.h
+++ b/libmpdemux/demuxer.h
@@ -466,15 +466,18 @@ int demuxer_set_angle(demuxer_t *demuxer, int angle);
 /// Get number of angles.
 int demuxer_angles_count(demuxer_t *demuxer);
 
-// get the index of a track
-// lang is a comma-separated list
-int demuxer_audio_track_by_lang(demuxer_t* demuxer, char* lang);
-int demuxer_sub_track_by_lang(demuxer_t* demuxer, char* lang);
-
-// find the default track
-// for subtitles, it is the first track with default attribute
-// for audio, additionally, the first track is selected if no track has default attribute set
-int demuxer_default_audio_track(demuxer_t* d);
-int demuxer_default_sub_track(demuxer_t* d);
+/* Get the index of a track.
+ * lang is a comma-separated list, NULL is same as empty list
+ * Sort tracks based on the following criteria:
+ * 1) earlier match in lang list, or last no match
+ * 2) track is marked default (default wins)
+ * 3) track number (lower wins)
+ * For audio, select best track according to these criteria; only return -1
+ * if there are no tracks at all.
+ * For subs, select best track according to the same criteria, but return -1
+ * if all tracks are no-lang-match, not-default.
+ */
+int demuxer_audio_track_by_lang_and_default(struct demuxer *d, char *lang);
+int demuxer_sub_track_by_lang_and_default(struct demuxer *d, char *lang);
 
 #endif /* MPLAYER_DEMUXER_H */
diff --git a/mpcommon.c b/mpcommon.c
index 35f9ea015a..2fa7b6d0a8 100644
--- a/mpcommon.c
+++ b/mpcommon.c
@@ -318,10 +318,8 @@ void update_teletext(sh_video_t *sh_video, demuxer_t *demuxer, int reset)
 
 int select_audio(demuxer_t* demuxer, int audio_id, char* audio_lang)
 {
-    if (audio_id == -1 && audio_lang)
-        audio_id = demuxer_audio_track_by_lang(demuxer, audio_lang);
     if (audio_id == -1)
-        audio_id = demuxer_default_audio_track(demuxer);
+        audio_id = demuxer_audio_track_by_lang_and_default(demuxer, audio_lang);
     if (audio_id != -1) // -1 (automatic) is the default behaviour of demuxers
         demuxer_switch_audio(demuxer, audio_id);
     if (audio_id == -2) { // some demuxers don't yet know how to switch to no sound
diff --git a/mplayer.c b/mplayer.c
index 3423813deb..b061680012 100644
--- a/mplayer.c
+++ b/mplayer.c
@@ -1957,11 +1957,10 @@ static int select_subtitle(MPContext *mpctx)
 
   if (!found && opts->sub_id == -1) {
     // finally select subs by language and container hints
-    if (opts->sub_id == -1 && opts->sub_lang)
-      opts->sub_id = demuxer_sub_track_by_lang(mpctx->d_sub->demuxer,
-                                               opts->sub_lang);
     if (opts->sub_id == -1)
-      opts->sub_id = demuxer_default_sub_track(mpctx->d_sub->demuxer);
+      opts->sub_id =
+          demuxer_sub_track_by_lang_and_default(mpctx->d_sub->demuxer,
+                                                opts->sub_lang);
     if (opts->sub_id >= 0) {
       id = opts->sub_id;
       found = mp_property_do("sub_demux", M_PROPERTY_SET, &id, mpctx) == M_PROPERTY_OK;