diff --git a/sndiod/miofile.c b/sndiod/miofile.c
index 1bf5e5c..ed3a205 100644
--- a/sndiod/miofile.c
+++ b/sndiod/miofile.c
@@ -52,7 +52,9 @@ port_mio_openlist(struct port *c, unsigned int mode)
 {
 	struct mio_hdl *hdl;
 	struct name *n;
+	int idx;
 
+	idx = 0;
 	n = c->path_list;
 	while (1) {
 		if (n == NULL)
@@ -68,6 +70,7 @@ port_mio_openlist(struct port *c, unsigned int mode)
 			return hdl;
 		}
 		n = n->next;
+		idx++;
 	}
 	return NULL;
 }
diff --git a/sndiod/siofile.c b/sndiod/siofile.c
index 2b19ff7..ba752a7 100644
--- a/sndiod/siofile.c
+++ b/sndiod/siofile.c
@@ -93,7 +93,9 @@ dev_sio_openlist(struct dev *d, unsigned int mode, struct sioctl_hdl **rctlhdl)
 	struct name *n;
 	struct sio_hdl *hdl;
 	struct sioctl_hdl *ctlhdl;
+	int idx;
 
+	idx = 0;
 	n = d->path_list;
 	while (1) {
 		if (n == NULL)
@@ -118,6 +120,7 @@ dev_sio_openlist(struct dev *d, unsigned int mode, struct sioctl_hdl **rctlhdl)
 			return hdl;
 		}
 		n = n->next;
+		idx++;
 	}
 	return NULL;
 }
diff --git a/sndiod/utils.c b/sndiod/utils.c
index bea290b..fce60ce 100644
--- a/sndiod/utils.c
+++ b/sndiod/utils.c
@@ -215,3 +215,20 @@ namelist_clear(struct name **list)
 		xfree(n);
 	}
 }
+
+char *
+namelist_byindex(struct name **list, unsigned int idx)
+{
+	struct name *n;
+
+	n = *list;
+	while (1) {
+		if (n == NULL)
+			return NULL;
+		if (idx == 0)
+			break;
+		n = n->next;
+		idx--;
+	}
+	return n->str;
+}
diff --git a/sndiod/utils.h b/sndiod/utils.h
index ca3e089..531424a 100644
--- a/sndiod/utils.h
+++ b/sndiod/utils.h
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ void xfree(void *);
 
 void namelist_add(struct name **, char *);
 void namelist_clear(struct name **);
+char *namelist_byindex(struct name **, unsigned int);
 
 /*
  * Log levels: