diff --git a/src/modules/audio/RecordingDevice.h b/src/modules/audio/RecordingDevice.h
index 17345e7df..e56fb2043 100644
--- a/src/modules/audio/RecordingDevice.h
+++ b/src/modules/audio/RecordingDevice.h
@@ -37,15 +37,14 @@ public:
 
 	static love::Type type;
 
+	static const int DEFAULT_SAMPLES = 8192;
+	static const int DEFAULT_SAMPLE_RATE = 8000;
+	static const int DEFAULT_BIT_DEPTH = 16;
+	static const int DEFAULT_CHANNELS = 1;
+
 	RecordingDevice();
 	virtual ~RecordingDevice();
 
-	/**
-	 * Begins audio input recording process. using default (previous) parameters.
-	 * @return True if recording started successfully.
-	 **/
-	virtual bool start() = 0;
-
 	/**
 	 * Begins audio input recording process.
 	 * @param samples Number of samples to buffer.
@@ -96,6 +95,7 @@ public:
 	 * @return True if currently recording.
 	 **/
 	virtual bool isRecording() const = 0;
+
 }; //RecordingDevice
 
 } //audio
diff --git a/src/modules/audio/null/RecordingDevice.cpp b/src/modules/audio/null/RecordingDevice.cpp
index 5ca3a7280..f640993c9 100644
--- a/src/modules/audio/null/RecordingDevice.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/audio/null/RecordingDevice.cpp
@@ -38,11 +38,6 @@ RecordingDevice::~RecordingDevice()
 {
 }
 
-bool RecordingDevice::start()
-{
-	return false;
-}
-
 bool RecordingDevice::start(int, int, int, int)
 {
 	return false;
diff --git a/src/modules/audio/null/RecordingDevice.h b/src/modules/audio/null/RecordingDevice.h
index 67d92c1f5..85d5f2cd8 100644
--- a/src/modules/audio/null/RecordingDevice.h
+++ b/src/modules/audio/null/RecordingDevice.h
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ class RecordingDevice : public love::audio::RecordingDevice
 public:
 	RecordingDevice(const char *name);
 	virtual ~RecordingDevice();
-	virtual bool start();
 	virtual bool start(int samples, int sampleRate, int bitDepth, int channels);
 	virtual void stop();
 	virtual love::sound::SoundData *getData();
diff --git a/src/modules/audio/openal/RecordingDevice.cpp b/src/modules/audio/openal/RecordingDevice.cpp
index b8997f41a..cdc646e4f 100644
--- a/src/modules/audio/openal/RecordingDevice.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/audio/openal/RecordingDevice.cpp
@@ -56,19 +56,8 @@ RecordingDevice::~RecordingDevice()
 	alcCaptureCloseDevice(device);
 }
 
-bool RecordingDevice::start()
-{
-	return start(samples, sampleRate, bitDepth, channels);
-}
-
 bool RecordingDevice::start(int samples, int sampleRate, int bitDepth, int channels)
 {
-	if (isRecording())
-	{
-		alcCaptureStop(device);
-		alcCaptureCloseDevice(device);
-	}
-
 	ALenum format = Audio::getFormat(bitDepth, channels);
 	if (format == AL_NONE)
 		throw InvalidFormatException(channels, bitDepth);
@@ -79,15 +68,20 @@ bool RecordingDevice::start(int samples, int sampleRate, int bitDepth, int chann
 	if (sampleRate <= 0)
 		throw love::Exception("Invalid sample rate.");
 
+	if (isRecording())
+		stop();
+
 	device = alcCaptureOpenDevice(name.c_str(), sampleRate, format, samples);
 	if (device == nullptr)
 		return false;
 
 	alcCaptureStart(device);
+
 	this->samples = samples;
 	this->sampleRate = sampleRate;
 	this->bitDepth = bitDepth;
 	this->channels = channels;
+
 	return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/modules/audio/openal/RecordingDevice.h b/src/modules/audio/openal/RecordingDevice.h
index 407e515b6..99a9d2137 100644
--- a/src/modules/audio/openal/RecordingDevice.h
+++ b/src/modules/audio/openal/RecordingDevice.h
@@ -49,9 +49,9 @@ namespace openal
 class RecordingDevice : public love::audio::RecordingDevice
 {
 public:
+
 	RecordingDevice(const char *name);
 	virtual ~RecordingDevice();
-	virtual bool start();
 	virtual bool start(int samples, int sampleRate, int bitDepth, int channels);
 	virtual void stop();
 	virtual love::sound::SoundData *getData();
@@ -63,12 +63,15 @@ public:
 	virtual bool isRecording() const;
 
 private:
-	int samples = 8192;
-	int sampleRate = 8000;
-	int bitDepth = 16;
-	int channels = 1;
+
+	int samples = 0;
+	int sampleRate = 0;
+	int bitDepth = 0;
+	int channels = 0;
+
 	std::string name;
 	ALCdevice *device = nullptr;
+
 }; //RecordingDevice
 
 } //openal
diff --git a/src/modules/audio/wrap_RecordingDevice.cpp b/src/modules/audio/wrap_RecordingDevice.cpp
index e52e1e3b7..dce415cf2 100644
--- a/src/modules/audio/wrap_RecordingDevice.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/audio/wrap_RecordingDevice.cpp
@@ -35,18 +35,15 @@ RecordingDevice *luax_checkrecordingdevice(lua_State *L, int idx)
 int w_RecordingDevice_start(lua_State *L)
 {
 	RecordingDevice *d = luax_checkrecordingdevice(L, 1);
-	if (lua_gettop(L) > 1)
-	{
-		int samples = (int) luaL_checkinteger(L, 2);
-		int sampleRate = (int) luaL_checkinteger(L, 3);
-		int bitDepth = (int) luaL_checkinteger(L, 4);
-		int channels = (int) luaL_checkinteger(L, 5);
-		luax_catchexcept(L, [&](){ 
-			lua_pushboolean(L, d->start(samples, sampleRate, bitDepth, channels));
-		});
-	}
-	else
-		luax_catchexcept(L, [&](){ lua_pushboolean(L, d->start()); });
+
+	int samples = (int) luaL_optinteger(L, 2, RecordingDevice::DEFAULT_SAMPLES);
+	int sampleRate = (int) luaL_optinteger(L, 3, RecordingDevice::DEFAULT_SAMPLE_RATE);
+	int bitDepth = (int) luaL_optinteger(L, 4, RecordingDevice::DEFAULT_BIT_DEPTH);
+	int channels = (int) (int) luaL_optinteger(L, 5, RecordingDevice::DEFAULT_CHANNELS);
+
+	luax_catchexcept(L, [&](){
+		lua_pushboolean(L, d->start(samples, sampleRate, bitDepth, channels));
+	});
 
 	return 1;
 }