diff --git a/include/sound/pcm.h b/include/sound/pcm.h
index e1dafdcb3c82..b293f60108ac 100644
--- a/include/sound/pcm.h
+++ b/include/sound/pcm.h
@@ -490,6 +490,7 @@ struct snd_pcm_substream {
 #endif /* CONFIG_SND_VERBOSE_PROCFS */
 	/* misc flags */
 	unsigned int hw_opened: 1;
+	unsigned int hw_no_buffer: 1; /* substream may not have a buffer */
 };
 
 #define SUBSTREAM_BUSY(substream) ((substream)->ref_count > 0)
diff --git a/sound/core/pcm_lib.c b/sound/core/pcm_lib.c
index 6b5a811e01a5..eeb9c6eee1b5 100644
--- a/sound/core/pcm_lib.c
+++ b/sound/core/pcm_lib.c
@@ -2115,6 +2115,9 @@ static int pcm_sanity_check(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream)
 	struct snd_pcm_runtime *runtime;
 	if (PCM_RUNTIME_CHECK(substream))
 		return -ENXIO;
+	/* TODO: consider and -EINVAL here */
+	if (substream->hw_no_buffer)
+		snd_printd("%s: warning this PCM is host less\n", __func__);
 	runtime = substream->runtime;
 	if (snd_BUG_ON(!substream->ops->copy && !runtime->dma_area))
 		return -EINVAL;
diff --git a/sound/core/pcm_native.c b/sound/core/pcm_native.c
index 3a963538a133..8c5e520e6970 100644
--- a/sound/core/pcm_native.c
+++ b/sound/core/pcm_native.c
@@ -1024,6 +1024,7 @@ static int snd_pcm_pre_start(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream, int state)
 	if (runtime->status->state != SNDRV_PCM_STATE_PREPARED)
 		return -EBADFD;
 	if (substream->stream == SNDRV_PCM_STREAM_PLAYBACK &&
+	    !substream->hw_no_buffer &&
 	    !snd_pcm_playback_data(substream))
 		return -EPIPE;
 	runtime->trigger_tstamp_latched = false;