diff --git a/alsactl/alsactl.h b/alsactl/alsactl.h
index 0e24d60..ca723e3 100644
--- a/alsactl/alsactl.h
+++ b/alsactl/alsactl.h
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#include <stdbool.h>
 #include <alsa/asoundlib.h>
 
 extern int debugflag;
@@ -9,6 +10,13 @@ extern char *command;
 extern char *statefile;
 extern char *lockfile;
 
+struct snd_card_iterator {
+	int card;
+	char name[16];
+	bool single;
+	bool first;
+};
+
 void info_(const char *fcn, long line, const char *fmt, ...);
 void error_(const char *fcn, long line, const char *fmt, ...);
 void cerror_(const char *fcn, long line, int cond, const char *fmt, ...);
@@ -32,6 +40,11 @@ void error_handler(const char *file, int line, const char *function, int err, co
 #define FLAG_UCM_BOOT		(1<<2)
 #define FLAG_UCM_DEFAULTS	(1<<3)
 
+void snd_card_iterator_init(struct snd_card_iterator *iter, int cardno);
+int snd_card_iterator_sinit(struct snd_card_iterator *iter, const char *cardname);
+const char *snd_card_iterator_next(struct snd_card_iterator *iter);
+int snd_card_iterator_error(struct snd_card_iterator *iter);
+
 int load_configuration(const char *file, snd_config_t **top, int *open_failed);
 int init(const char *file, int flags, const char *cardname);
 int init_ucm(int flags, int cardno);
diff --git a/alsactl/clean.c b/alsactl/clean.c
index 4808225..6dfc6d3 100644
--- a/alsactl/clean.c
+++ b/alsactl/clean.c
@@ -182,46 +182,15 @@ fin_err:
 
 int clean(const char *cardname, char *const *extra_args)
 {
+	struct snd_card_iterator iter;
 	int err;
 
-	if (!cardname) {
-		int card, first = 1;
-
-		card = -1;
-		/* find each installed soundcards */
-		while (1) {
-			if (snd_card_next(&card) < 0)
-				break;
-			if (card < 0) {
-				if (first) {
-					if (ignore_nocards) {
-						err = 0;
-						goto out;
-					} else {
-						error("No soundcards found...");
-						err = -ENODEV;
-						goto out;
-					}
-				}
-				break;
-			}
-			first = 0;
-			if ((err = clean_controls(card, extra_args)))
-				goto out;
-		}
-	} else {
-		int cardno;
-
-		cardno = snd_card_get_index(cardname);
-		if (cardno < 0) {
-			error("Cannot find soundcard '%s'...", cardname);
-			err = cardno;
-			goto out;
-		}
-		if ((err = clean_controls(cardno, extra_args))) {
-			goto out;
-		}
+	err = snd_card_iterator_sinit(&iter, cardname);
+	if (err < 0)
+		return err;
+	while (snd_card_iterator_next(&iter)) {
+		if ((err = clean_controls(iter.card, extra_args)))
+			return err;
 	}
-out:
-	return err;
+	return snd_card_iterator_error(&iter);
 }
diff --git a/alsactl/init_parse.c b/alsactl/init_parse.c
index 4034b4d..ab2c906 100644
--- a/alsactl/init_parse.c
+++ b/alsactl/init_parse.c
@@ -1746,63 +1746,33 @@ static int parse(struct space *space, const char *filename)
 int init(const char *filename, int flags, const char *cardname)
 {
 	struct space *space;
-	int err = 0, lasterr = 0, card, first;
+	struct snd_card_iterator iter;
+	int err = 0, lasterr = 0;
 	
 	sysfs_init();
-	if (!cardname) {
-		first = 1;
-		card = -1;
-		while (1) {
-			if (snd_card_next(&card) < 0)
-				break;
-			if (card < 0) {
-				if (first) {
-					if (ignore_nocards)
-						return 0;
-					error("No soundcards found...");
-					return -ENODEV;
-				}
-				break;
-			}
-			first = 0;
-			err = init_ucm(flags, card);
-			if (err == 0)
-				continue;
-			err = init_space(&space, card);
-			if (err == 0) {
-				space->rootdir = new_root_dir(filename);
-				if (space->rootdir != NULL)
-					err = parse(space, filename);
-				if (err <= -99) { /* non-fatal errors */
-					if (lasterr == 0)
-						lasterr = err;
-					err = 0;
-				}
-				free_space(space);
-			}
-			if (err < 0)
-				break;
-		}
-		err = lasterr;
-	} else {
-		card = snd_card_get_index(cardname);
-		if (card < 0) {
-			error("Cannot find soundcard '%s'...", cardname);
-			goto error;
-		}
-		err = init_ucm(flags, card);
+	err = snd_card_iterator_sinit(&iter, cardname);
+	while (snd_card_iterator_next(&iter)) {
+		err = init_ucm(flags, iter.card);
 		if (err == 0)
-			return 0;
-		memset(&space, 0, sizeof(space));
-		err = init_space(&space, card);
-		if (err == 0) {
-			space->rootdir = new_root_dir(filename);
-			if (space->rootdir  != NULL)
-				err = parse(space, filename);
-			free_space(space);
+			continue;
+		err = init_space(&space, iter.card);
+		if (err != 0)
+			continue;
+		space->rootdir = new_root_dir(filename);
+		if (space->rootdir != NULL) {
+			err = parse(space, filename);
+			if (!cardname && err <= -99) { /* non-fatal errors */
+				if (lasterr == 0)
+					lasterr = err;
+				err = 0;
+			}
 		}
+		free_space(space);
+		if (err < 0)
+			goto out;
 	}
-  error:
+	err = lasterr ? lasterr : snd_card_iterator_error(&iter);
+out:
 	sysfs_cleanup();
 	return err;
 }
diff --git a/alsactl/monitor.c b/alsactl/monitor.c
index fa6cd85..4c02557 100644
--- a/alsactl/monitor.c
+++ b/alsactl/monitor.c
@@ -28,11 +28,12 @@
 #include <time.h>
 #include <signal.h>
 #include <sys/signalfd.h>
-#include <alsa/asoundlib.h>
 
 #include <stddef.h>
 #include "list.h"
 
+#include "alsactl.h"
+
 struct src_entry {
 	snd_ctl_t *handle;
 	char *name;
@@ -40,29 +41,6 @@ struct src_entry {
 	struct list_head list;
 };
 
-struct snd_card_iterator {
-        int card;
-        char name[16];
-};
-
-void snd_card_iterator_init(struct snd_card_iterator *iter)
-{
-        iter->card = -1;
-        memset(iter->name, 0, sizeof(iter->name));
-}
-
-static const char *snd_card_iterator_next(struct snd_card_iterator *iter)
-{
-        if (snd_card_next(&iter->card) < 0)
-                return NULL;
-        if (iter->card < 0)
-                return NULL;
-
-        snprintf(iter->name, sizeof(iter->name), "hw:%d", iter->card);
-
-        return (const char *)iter->name;
-}
-
 static void remove_source_entry(struct src_entry *entry)
 {
 	list_del(&entry->list);
@@ -159,7 +137,7 @@ static int prepare_source_entry(struct list_head *srcs, const char *name)
 		struct snd_card_iterator iter;
 		const char *cardname;
 
-		snd_card_iterator_init(&iter);
+		snd_card_iterator_init(&iter, -1);
 		while ((cardname = snd_card_iterator_next(&iter))) {
 			if (seek_entry_by_name(srcs, cardname))
 				continue;
diff --git a/alsactl/state.c b/alsactl/state.c
index e39e878..0612970 100644
--- a/alsactl/state.c
+++ b/alsactl/state.c
@@ -1544,6 +1544,7 @@ int save_state(const char *file, const char *cardname)
 	int stdio;
 	char *nfile = NULL;
 	int lock_fd = -EINVAL;
+	struct snd_card_iterator iter;
 
 	err = snd_config_top(&config);
 	if (err < 0) {
@@ -1577,45 +1578,18 @@ int save_state(const char *file, const char *cardname)
 #endif
 	}
 
-	if (!cardname) {
-		int card, first = 1;
-
-		card = -1;
-		/* find each installed soundcards */
-		while (1) {
-			if (snd_card_next(&card) < 0)
-				break;
-			if (card < 0) {
-				if (first) {
-					if (ignore_nocards) {
-						err = 0;
-						goto out;
-					} else {
-						error("No soundcards found...");
-						err = -ENODEV;
-						goto out;
-					}
-				}
-				break;
-			}
-			first = 0;
-			if ((err = get_controls(card, config)))
-				goto out;
-		}
-	} else {
-		int cardno;
-
-		cardno = snd_card_get_index(cardname);
-		if (cardno < 0) {
-			error("Cannot find soundcard '%s'...", cardname);
-			err = cardno;
+	err = snd_card_iterator_sinit(&iter, cardname);
+	if (err < 0)
+		goto out;
+	while (snd_card_iterator_next(&iter)) {
+		if ((err = get_controls(iter.card, config)))
 			goto out;
-		}
-		if ((err = get_controls(cardno, config))) {
-			goto out;
-		}
 	}
-	
+	if (iter.first) {
+		err = snd_card_iterator_error(&iter);
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	if (stdio) {
 		err = snd_output_stdio_attach(&out, stdout, 0);
 	} else {
@@ -1648,119 +1622,58 @@ int load_state(const char *file, const char *initfile, int initflags,
 	       const char *cardname, int do_init)
 {
 	int err, finalerr = 0, open_failed;
+	struct snd_card_iterator iter;
 	snd_config_t *config;
+	const char *cardname1;
 
 	err = load_configuration(file, &config, &open_failed);
 	if (err < 0 && !open_failed)
 		return err;
 
 	if (open_failed) {
-		int card, first = 1;
-		char cardname1[16];
-
 		error("Cannot open %s for reading: %s", file, snd_strerror(err));
 		finalerr = err;
-		if (cardname) {
-			card = snd_card_get_index(cardname);
-			if (card < 0) {
-				error("Cannot find soundcard '%s'...", cardname);
-				err = -ENODEV;
-				goto out;
-			}
-			goto single;
-		} else {
-			card = -1;
-		}
-		/* find each installed soundcards */
-		while (!cardname) {
-			if (snd_card_next(&card) < 0)
-				break;
-			if (card < 0)
-				break;
-single:
-			first = 0;
+
+		err = snd_card_iterator_sinit(&iter, cardname);
+		if (err < 0)
+			return err;
+		while ((cardname1 = snd_card_iterator_next(&iter)) != NULL) {
 			if (!do_init)
 				break;
-			sprintf(cardname1, "%i", card);
 			err = init(initfile, initflags | FLAG_UCM_FBOOT | FLAG_UCM_BOOT, cardname1);
 			if (err < 0) {
 				finalerr = err;
-				initfailed(card, "init", err);
+				initfailed(iter.card, "init", err);
 			}
-			initfailed(card, "restore", -ENOENT);
+			initfailed(iter.card, "restore", -ENOENT);
 		}
-		if (first)
-			finalerr = 0;	/* no cards, no error code */
 		err = finalerr;
+		if (iter.first)
+			err = 0;	/* no cards, no error code */
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	if (!cardname) {
-		int card, first = 1;
-		char cardname1[16];
-
-		card = -1;
-		/* find each installed soundcards */
-		while (1) {
-			if (snd_card_next(&card) < 0)
-				break;
-			if (card < 0) {
-				if (first) {
-					if (ignore_nocards) {
-						err = 0;
-						goto out;
-					} else {
-						error("No soundcards found...");
-						err = -ENODEV;
-						goto out;
-					}
-				}
-				break;
-			}
-			first = 0;
-			/* error is ignored */
-			init_ucm(initflags | FLAG_UCM_FBOOT, card);
-			/* do a check if controls matches state file */
- 			if (do_init && set_controls(card, config, 0)) {
-				sprintf(cardname1, "%i", card);
-				err = init(initfile, initflags | FLAG_UCM_BOOT, cardname1);
-				if (err < 0) {
-					initfailed(card, "init", err);
-					finalerr = err;
-				}
-			}
-			if ((err = set_controls(card, config, 1))) {
-				if (!force_restore)
-					finalerr = err;
-				initfailed(card, "restore", err);
-			}
-		}
-	} else {
-		int cardno;
-
-		cardno = snd_card_get_index(cardname);
-		if (cardno < 0) {
-			error("Cannot find soundcard '%s'...", cardname);
-			err = -ENODEV;
-			goto out;
-		}
+	err = snd_card_iterator_sinit(&iter, cardname);
+	if (err < 0)
+		goto out;
+	while ((cardname1 = snd_card_iterator_next(&iter)) != NULL) {
 		/* error is ignored */
-		init_ucm(initflags | FLAG_UCM_FBOOT, cardno);
+		init_ucm(initflags | FLAG_UCM_FBOOT, iter.card);
 		/* do a check if controls matches state file */
-		if (do_init && set_controls(cardno, config, 0)) {
-			err = init(initfile, initflags | FLAG_UCM_BOOT, cardname);
+		if (do_init && set_controls(iter.card, config, 0)) {
+			err = init(initfile, initflags | FLAG_UCM_BOOT, cardname1);
 			if (err < 0) {
-				initfailed(cardno, "init", err);
+				initfailed(iter.card, "init", err);
 				finalerr = err;
 			}
 		}
-		if ((err = set_controls(cardno, config, 1))) {
-			initfailed(cardno, "restore", err);
+		if ((err = set_controls(iter.card, config, 1))) {
 			if (!force_restore)
-				goto out;
+				finalerr = err;
+			initfailed(iter.card, "restore", err);
 		}
 	}
-	err = finalerr;
+	err = finalerr ? finalerr : snd_card_iterator_error(&iter);
 out:
 	snd_config_delete(config);
 	snd_config_update_free_global();
diff --git a/alsactl/utils.c b/alsactl/utils.c
index ede7319..d0b1ac6 100644
--- a/alsactl/utils.c
+++ b/alsactl/utils.c
@@ -233,3 +233,54 @@ out:
 		return 0;
 	}
 }
+
+void snd_card_iterator_init(struct snd_card_iterator *iter, int cardno)
+{
+	iter->card = cardno;
+	iter->single = cardno >= 0;
+	iter->first = true;
+	iter->name[0] = '\0';
+}
+
+int snd_card_iterator_sinit(struct snd_card_iterator *iter, const char *cardname)
+{
+	int cardno = -1;
+
+	if (cardname) {
+		cardno = snd_card_get_index(cardname);
+		if (cardno < 0) {
+			error("Cannot find soundcard '%s'...", cardname);
+			return cardno;
+		}
+	}
+	snd_card_iterator_init(iter, cardno);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+const char *snd_card_iterator_next(struct snd_card_iterator *iter)
+{
+	if (iter->single) {
+		if (iter->first) {
+			iter->first = false;
+			goto retval;
+		}
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	if (snd_card_next(&iter->card) < 0) {
+		if (!ignore_nocards && iter->first)
+			error("No soundcards found...");
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	iter->first = false;
+	if (iter->card < 0)
+		return NULL;
+retval:
+	snprintf(iter->name, sizeof(iter->name), "hw:%d", iter->card);
+
+	return (const char *)iter->name;
+}
+
+int snd_card_iterator_error(struct snd_card_iterator *iter)
+{
+	return iter->first ? (ignore_nocards ? 0 : -ENODEV) : 0;
+}