diff --git a/services/audiopolicy/common/managerdefinitions/include/AudioIODescriptorInterface.h b/services/audiopolicy/common/managerdefinitions/include/AudioIODescriptorInterface.h
index 6e2963245c..1596ff77e7 100644
--- a/services/audiopolicy/common/managerdefinitions/include/AudioIODescriptorInterface.h
+++ b/services/audiopolicy/common/managerdefinitions/include/AudioIODescriptorInterface.h
@@ -41,11 +41,24 @@ sp<DeviceDescriptor> findPreferredDevice(
         IoDescriptor& desc, Filter filter, bool& active, const DeviceVector& devices)
 {
     auto activeClients = desc->clientsList(true /*activeOnly*/);
-    auto activeClientsWithRoute =
-        desc->clientsList(true /*activeOnly*/, filter, true /*preferredDevice*/);
     active = activeClients.size() > 0;
-    if (active && activeClients.size() == activeClientsWithRoute.size()) {
-        return devices.getDeviceFromId(activeClientsWithRoute[0]->preferredDeviceId());
+
+    if (active) {
+        // On MMAP IOs, the preferred device is selected by the first client (virtual client
+        // created when the mmap stream is opened). This client is never active.
+        // On non MMAP IOs, the preferred device is honored only if all active clients have
+        // a preferred device in which case the first client drives the selection.
+        if (desc->getPolicyAudioPort()->isMmap()) {
+            // The client list is never empty on a MMAP IO
+            return devices.getDeviceFromId(
+                    desc->clientsList(false /*activeOnly*/)[0]->preferredDeviceId());
+        } else {
+            auto activeClientsWithRoute =
+                desc->clientsList(true /*activeOnly*/, filter, true /*preferredDevice*/);
+            if (activeClients.size() == activeClientsWithRoute.size()) {
+                return devices.getDeviceFromId(activeClientsWithRoute[0]->preferredDeviceId());
+            }
+        }
     }
     return nullptr;
 }
diff --git a/services/audiopolicy/common/managerdefinitions/include/PolicyAudioPort.h b/services/audiopolicy/common/managerdefinitions/include/PolicyAudioPort.h
index 99df3c06cd..d2f629734a 100644
--- a/services/audiopolicy/common/managerdefinitions/include/PolicyAudioPort.h
+++ b/services/audiopolicy/common/managerdefinitions/include/PolicyAudioPort.h
@@ -107,6 +107,15 @@ public:
                 (mFlags & (AUDIO_OUTPUT_FLAG_DIRECT | AUDIO_OUTPUT_FLAG_COMPRESS_OFFLOAD));
     }
 
+    inline bool isMmap() const
+    {
+        return (asAudioPort()->getType() == AUDIO_PORT_TYPE_MIX)
+                && (((asAudioPort()->getRole() == AUDIO_PORT_ROLE_SOURCE) &&
+                        ((mFlags & AUDIO_OUTPUT_FLAG_MMAP_NOIRQ) != 0))
+                    || ((asAudioPort()->getRole() == AUDIO_PORT_ROLE_SINK) &&
+                        ((mFlags & AUDIO_INPUT_FLAG_MMAP_NOIRQ) != 0)));
+    }
+
     void addRoute(const sp<AudioRoute> &route) { mRoutes.add(route); }
     const AudioRouteVector &getRoutes() const { return mRoutes; }
 
diff --git a/services/audiopolicy/managerdefault/AudioPolicyManager.cpp b/services/audiopolicy/managerdefault/AudioPolicyManager.cpp
index bdd2427986..5aa62716c7 100644
--- a/services/audiopolicy/managerdefault/AudioPolicyManager.cpp
+++ b/services/audiopolicy/managerdefault/AudioPolicyManager.cpp
@@ -2405,9 +2405,7 @@ void AudioPolicyManager::checkCloseInputs() {
     for (size_t i = 0; i < mInputs.size(); i++) {
         const sp<AudioInputDescriptor> input = mInputs.valueAt(i);
         if (input->clientsList().size() == 0
-                || !mAvailableInputDevices.containsAtLeastOne(input->supportedDevices())
-                || (input->getPolicyAudioPort()->getFlags()
-                        & AUDIO_INPUT_FLAG_MMAP_NOIRQ) != 0) {
+                || !mAvailableInputDevices.containsAtLeastOne(input->supportedDevices())) {
             inputsToClose.push_back(mInputs.keyAt(i));
         } else {
             bool close = false;