diff --git a/config/sources/families/meson-g12a.conf b/config/sources/families/meson-g12a.conf
index 6bce7c8390..bde367e226 100644
--- a/config/sources/families/meson-g12a.conf
+++ b/config/sources/families/meson-g12a.conf
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 # https://github.com/armbian/build/
 #
 source "${BASH_SOURCE%/*}/include/meson64_common.inc"
-ASOUND_STATE="asound.state.meson64"
+ASOUND_STATE="${ASOUND_STATE:-"asound.state.meson64"}"
 
 CPUMIN=1000000
 CPUMAX=1800000
diff --git a/config/sources/families/meson-g12b.conf b/config/sources/families/meson-g12b.conf
index d8a33eeac9..d873d7e1d2 100644
--- a/config/sources/families/meson-g12b.conf
+++ b/config/sources/families/meson-g12b.conf
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 # https://github.com/armbian/build/
 #
 source "${BASH_SOURCE%/*}/include/meson64_common.inc"
-ASOUND_STATE="asound.state.meson64"
+ASOUND_STATE="${ASOUND_STATE:-"asound.state.meson64"}"
 
 # Mainline u-boot, everything is done by meson64_common.inc, we just need to handle FIP blobs
 
diff --git a/config/sources/families/meson-sm1.conf b/config/sources/families/meson-sm1.conf
index a4910c6d88..c5b2ece3fe 100644
--- a/config/sources/families/meson-sm1.conf
+++ b/config/sources/families/meson-sm1.conf
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 # https://github.com/armbian/build/
 #
 source "${BASH_SOURCE%/*}/include/meson64_common.inc"
-ASOUND_STATE="asound.state.meson64"
+ASOUND_STATE="${ASOUND_STATE:-"asound.state.meson64"}"
 CPUMIN=667000
 CPUMAX=2100000
 GOVERNOR=ondemand
diff --git a/lib/functions/rootfs/distro-agnostic.sh b/lib/functions/rootfs/distro-agnostic.sh
index 7a420c8091..01cc5c6b66 100644
--- a/lib/functions/rootfs/distro-agnostic.sh
+++ b/lib/functions/rootfs/distro-agnostic.sh
@@ -507,7 +507,10 @@ function install_distribution_agnostic() {
 
 	# install initial asound.state if defined
 	mkdir -p "${SDCARD}"/var/lib/alsa/
-	[[ -n $ASOUND_STATE ]] && cp "${SRC}/packages/blobs/asound.state/${ASOUND_STATE}" "${SDCARD}"/var/lib/alsa/asound.state
+	if [[ -n ${ASOUND_STATE} ]]; then
+		display_alert "Installing initial asound.state" "${ASOUND_STATE} for board ${BOARD}" "info"
+		run_host_command_logged cp -v "${SRC}/packages/blobs/asound.state/${ASOUND_STATE}" "${SDCARD}"/var/lib/alsa/asound.state
+	fi
 
 	# save initial armbian-release state
 	cp "${SDCARD}"/etc/armbian-release "${SDCARD}"/etc/armbian-image-release