diff --git a/codec/codecutil/list.go b/codec/codecutil/list.go
index ecba3659..c270eb6b 100644
--- a/codec/codecutil/list.go
+++ b/codec/codecutil/list.go
@@ -24,8 +24,6 @@ LICENSE
 
 package codecutil
 
-import "fmt"
-
 // numCodecs is the number of entries in the list of codecs.
 const numCodecs = 5
 
@@ -39,10 +37,7 @@ const (
 	MJPEG
 )
 
-// Validate recieves an int representing a codec and checks if it is valid.
-func Validate(codec uint8) error {
-	if codec < 0 || codec >= numCodecs {
-		return fmt.Errorf("invalid codec")
-	}
-	return nil
+// IsValid recieves an int representing a codec and checks if it is valid.
+func IsValid(codec uint8) bool {
+	return 0 <= codec && codec < numCodecs
 }
diff --git a/container/mts/encoder_test.go b/container/mts/encoder_test.go
index 4443e8e8..1a1d20d7 100644
--- a/container/mts/encoder_test.go
+++ b/container/mts/encoder_test.go
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ func TestEncodePcm(t *testing.T) {
 	for i+PacketSize <= len(clip) {
 
 		// Check MTS packet
-		if !(pkt.PID() == AudioPid) {
+		if pkt.PID() != AudioPid {
 			i += PacketSize
 			if i+PacketSize <= len(clip) {
 				copy(pkt[:], clip[i:i+PacketSize])
diff --git a/input/audio/audio.go b/input/audio/audio.go
index 745b71fe..0f03a20e 100644
--- a/input/audio/audio.go
+++ b/input/audio/audio.go
@@ -94,7 +94,10 @@ type OpenError error
 // NewDevice initializes and returns an Device which can be started, read from, and stopped.
 func NewDevice(cfg *Config, l Logger) (*Device, error) {
 
-	validate(cfg)
+	err := validate(cfg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 
 	d := &Device{
 		Config: cfg,
@@ -102,7 +105,7 @@ func NewDevice(cfg *Config, l Logger) (*Device, error) {
 	}
 
 	// Open the requested audio device.
-	err := d.open()
+	err = d.open()
 	if err != nil {
 		d.l.Log(logger.Error, pkg+"failed to open device")
 		return nil, err