diff --git a/libsndio/mio_alsa.c b/libsndio/mio_alsa.c
index 6f8a287..b88ba9a 100644
--- a/libsndio/mio_alsa.c
+++ b/libsndio/mio_alsa.c
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@ mio_alsa_open(const char *str, unsigned int mode, int nbio)
 
 	switch (*str) {
 	case '/':
-	case ':': /* XXX: for backward compat */
 		str++;
 		break;
 	default:
diff --git a/libsndio/mio_rmidi.c b/libsndio/mio_rmidi.c
index 84990f8..7020f73 100644
--- a/libsndio/mio_rmidi.c
+++ b/libsndio/mio_rmidi.c
@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@ _mio_rmidi_open(const char *str, unsigned int mode, int nbio)
 
 	switch (*str) {
 	case '/':
-	case ':': /* XXX: for backward compat */
 		str++;
 		break;
 	default:
diff --git a/libsndio/sio_alsa.c b/libsndio/sio_alsa.c
index ef1bb7d..7363d8c 100644
--- a/libsndio/sio_alsa.c
+++ b/libsndio/sio_alsa.c
@@ -280,7 +280,6 @@ _sio_alsa_open(const char *str, unsigned mode, int nbio)
 
 	switch (*str) {
 	case '/':
-	case ':': /* XXX: for backward compat */
 		str++;
 		break;
 	default:
diff --git a/libsndio/sio_sun.c b/libsndio/sio_sun.c
index 5af5d3c..c315958 100644
--- a/libsndio/sio_sun.c
+++ b/libsndio/sio_sun.c
@@ -336,7 +336,6 @@ _sio_sun_open(const char *str, unsigned int mode, int nbio)
 
 	switch (*str) {
 	case '/':
-	case ':': /* XXX: for backward compat */
 		str++;
 		break;
 	default: