diff --git a/lib/sink_impl.cc b/lib/sink_impl.cc
index 317855a..a7a0487 100644
--- a/lib/sink_impl.cc
+++ b/lib/sink_impl.cc
@@ -245,6 +245,13 @@ sink_impl::sink_impl( const std::string &args )
 
   if (!_devs.size())
     throw std::runtime_error("No devices specified via device arguments.");
+
+  /* Populate the _gain and _gain_mode arrays with the hardware state */
+  for ( sink_iface *dev : _devs )
+    for (size_t dev_chan = 0; dev_chan < dev->get_num_channels(); dev_chan++) {
+      _gain_mode[dev_chan] = dev->get_gain_mode(dev_chan);
+      _gain[dev_chan] = dev->get_gain(dev_chan);
+    }
 }
 
 size_t sink_impl::get_num_channels()
diff --git a/lib/source_impl.cc b/lib/source_impl.cc
index 8f2028b..ff4d489 100644
--- a/lib/source_impl.cc
+++ b/lib/source_impl.cc
@@ -403,6 +403,13 @@ source_impl::source_impl( const std::string &args )
 
   if (!_devs.size())
     throw std::runtime_error("No devices specified via device arguments.");
+
+  /* Populate the _gain and _gain_mode arrays with the hardware state */
+  for ( source_iface *dev : _devs )
+    for (size_t dev_chan = 0; dev_chan < dev->get_num_channels(); dev_chan++) {
+      _gain_mode[dev_chan] = dev->get_gain_mode(dev_chan);
+      _gain[dev_chan] = dev->get_gain(dev_chan);
+    }
 }
 
 size_t source_impl::get_num_channels()