diff -rupN a/xbmc/cores/AudioEngine/Sinks/AESinkALSA.cpp b/xbmc/cores/AudioEngine/Sinks/AESinkALSA.cpp
--- a/xbmc/cores/AudioEngine/Sinks/AESinkALSA.cpp	2019-01-28 19:02:31.000000000 +0100
+++ b/xbmc/cores/AudioEngine/Sinks/AESinkALSA.cpp	2019-02-15 22:20:14.000000000 +0100
@@ -1329,6 +1329,10 @@ void CAESinkALSA::EnumerateDevice(AEDevi
     if (snd_card_get_name(cardNr, &cardName) == 0)
       info.m_displayName = cardName;
 
+    /* hifiberry digi doesn't correctly report as iec958 device. Needs fixing in kernel driver */
+    if (info.m_displayName == "snd_rpi_hifiberry_digi")
+        info.m_deviceType = AE_DEVTYPE_IEC958;
+
     if (info.m_deviceType == AE_DEVTYPE_HDMI && info.m_displayName.size() > 5 &&
         info.m_displayName.substr(info.m_displayName.size()-5) == " HDMI")
     {