Patch-Source: https://github.com/misterdanb/avizo/pull/45

--- a/volumectl
+++ b/volumectl
@@ -24,9 +24,9 @@
 #   -b               Allow volume to go above 100% (boost).
 #   -D <device-id>   Choose a different sink (output) or source (input) than
 #                      the default (see pamixer --list-sinks and --list-sources).
-#   -p               Choose the currently playing sink instead of the default.
-#                      In case of multiple playing sinks, it will choose the
-#                      first playing  sink as reported by 'pactl'.
+#   -p               Choose the currently playing sink (or source) instead of
+#                      the default. In case of multiple playing sinks/sources,
+#                      it will choose the first one as reported by pactl/pamixer.
 #   -g <gamma>       Increase/decrease using gamma correction (e.g. 2.2).
 #   -m               Control the source (mic) instead of sink (output).
 #   -u               Unmute when changing the volume (+|-|=).
@@ -57,11 +57,19 @@
 	expr "$1" : '[0-9]\+$' >/dev/null
 }
 
+playing_dev_id() {
+	if command -v pactl >/dev/null; then
+		pactl list short ${1}s | grep RUNNING | grep -m1 -o '^[0-9]\+'
+	else  # this works since pamixer 1.6
+		pamixer --list-${1}s | grep '"Running"' | grep -m1 -o '^[0-9]\+'
+	fi
+}
 
+
 all_flag=false
 dev=
 dev_type='sink'
-use_playing=
+use_playing=false
 opts=
 unmute_opt=
 optind=1
@@ -121,10 +129,8 @@
 	dev_opt='--default-source'
 elif [ "$dev" ]; then
 	dev_opt="--$dev_type=$dev"
-elif [ "$dev_type" = 'sink' ] && [ "$use_playing" ]; then
-	if dev=$(pactl list short sinks | grep RUNNING | cut -f 2 | head -n 1) && [ "$dev" ]; then
-		dev_opt="--$dev_type=$dev"
-	fi
+elif $use_playing && id=$(playing_dev_id "$dev_type"); then
+	dev_opt="--$dev_type=$id"
 fi