diff --git a/po/POTFILES.in b/po/POTFILES.in
index 2653840..f076a09 100644
--- a/po/POTFILES.in
+++ b/po/POTFILES.in
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 ./src/menu_sdl.c
+./src/volume.c
diff --git a/po/ja.gmo b/po/ja.gmo
index 765caec..eb33d46 100644
Binary files a/po/ja.gmo and b/po/ja.gmo differ
diff --git a/po/ja.po b/po/ja.po
index a5f8ac9..61db9c0 100644
--- a/po/ja.po
+++ b/po/ja.po
@@ -41,6 +41,14 @@ msgstr "ミュート"
 msgid "Close"
 msgstr "閉じる"
 
+#: src/volume.c:90
+msgid "BGM"
+msgstr "BGM"
+
+#: src/volume.c:91
+msgid "Sound effects"
+msgstr "効果音"
+
 #: src/menu_sdl.c:378 src/menu_sdl.c:383 src/menu_sdl.c:529
 msgid "OK"
 msgstr "ＯＫ"
diff --git a/src/menu_sdl.c b/src/menu_sdl.c
index 584a0b4..166ca0e 100644
--- a/src/menu_sdl.c
+++ b/src/menu_sdl.c
@@ -74,9 +74,7 @@ static bool menu_build(mu_Context *ctx, modal *modal) {
 	struct popup_state *st = (struct popup_state *)modal;
 	bool keep_open = true;
 
-	bool has_volume = volume_available();
-
-	int rows = 3 + (has_volume ? 1 : 0);
+	int rows = 4;
 	int row_h = ctx->style->size.y + ctx->style->padding * 2;
 	int w = 200;
 	// `rows` rows with (rows - 1) inter-row gaps, plus the window's body padding.
@@ -100,7 +98,7 @@ static bool menu_build(mu_Context *ctx, modal *modal) {
 		if (mu_checkbox(ctx, _("Mouse Auto Move"), &warp))
 			nact->ags.mouse_warp_enabled = warp;
 
-		if (has_volume && mu_button(ctx, _("Volume"))) {
+		if (mu_button(ctx, _("Volume"))) {
 			keep_open = false;
 			st->action = MENU_ACTION_VOLUME;
 		}
diff --git a/src/music.h b/src/music.h
index 33c1f24..bde4c13 100644
--- a/src/music.h
+++ b/src/music.h
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ enum MixDevice {
 	MIX_PCM
 };
 
+// Volume valancer channels.
+#define BGM_VOLVAL_CH 0  // BGM is always mapped to this channel.
+#define SE_VOLVAL_CH 1  // Sound-effect channel used when the game defines no VolumeValancer.
+
 /* init and exit */
 bool mus_init(int audio_buffer_size);
 void mus_exit(void);
diff --git a/src/music_private.h b/src/music_private.h
index 0e21b3e..9e7045a 100644
--- a/src/music_private.h
+++ b/src/music_private.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #define __MUSIC_PRIVATE_H__
 
 #include "portab.h"
+#include "music.h"
 #include "bgm.h"
 #include "cdrom.h"
 #include "midi.h"
@@ -31,9 +32,6 @@
 #include "music_pcm.h"
 #include "ald_manager.h"
 
-// The volume valancer channel that BGM is mapped to.
-#define BGM_VOLVAL_CH 0
-
 struct _musprvdat {
 	bool midi_valid;
 	bool pcm_valid;
diff --git a/src/pcm.sdlmixer.c b/src/pcm.sdlmixer.c
index 241e92b..2349005 100644
--- a/src/pcm.sdlmixer.c
+++ b/src/pcm.sdlmixer.c
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ bool muspcm_load_no(int slot, int no) {
 		int ch = WAIMIXCH(no);
 		prv.vol_pcm_sub[slot] = ch < 0 ? 0: ch;
 	} else {
-		prv.vol_pcm_sub[slot] = 0;
+		prv.vol_pcm_sub[slot] = SE_VOLVAL_CH;
 	}
 
 	return load_chunk(slot, chunk);
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ bool muspcm_load_mixlr(int slot, int noL, int noR) {
 	if (chunk == NULL) {
 		return false;
 	}
-	prv.vol_pcm_sub[slot] = 0;
+	prv.vol_pcm_sub[slot] = SE_VOLVAL_CH;
 
 	return load_chunk(slot, chunk);
 }
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ bool muspcm_load_data(int slot, uint8_t *buf, uint32_t len) {
 	Mix_Chunk *chunk = Mix_LoadWAV_RW(SDL_RWFromConstMem(buf, len), 1);
 	if (!chunk)
 		return false;
-	prv.vol_pcm_sub[slot] = 0;
+	prv.vol_pcm_sub[slot] = SE_VOLVAL_CH;
 
 	return load_chunk(slot, chunk);
 }
diff --git a/src/volume.c b/src/volume.c
index e515bef..239ea85 100644
--- a/src/volume.c
+++ b/src/volume.c
@@ -45,15 +45,8 @@ struct volume_channel {
 
 static int vval_max;  // 最大チャンネル番号
 static struct volume_channel vval[MAXVOLCH];
-static bool vval_available;
-
-bool volume_available(void) {
-	return vval_available;
-}
 
 static void apply_volume(void) {
-	if (!vval_available) return;
-
 	int vol[MAXVOLCH] = {0};
 	for (int i = 0; i < MAXVOLCH; i++) {
 		vol[i] = vval[i].mute ? 0 : vval[i].vol;
@@ -62,28 +55,34 @@ static void apply_volume(void) {
 }
 
 // 初期化
-bool volume_init(void) {
-	FILE *fp;
-	char s[256], s1[256];
+void volume_init(void) {
 	int i, vol[MAXVOLCH] = {0};
 	char fn[256];
+	int nvalancer = 0;
 
-	if (nact->files.init == NULL) return false;
-
-	if (NULL == (fp = fopen(nact->files.init, "r"))) return false;
-
-	while (fgets(s, 255, fp) != NULL) {
-		s1[0] = '\0';
-		sscanf(s, "VolumeValancer[%d] = \"%s", &i, s1);
-		if (s1[0] == '\0') continue;
-		if (i >= MAXVOLCH || i < 0) continue;
-		s1[strlen(s1)-1] = '\0'; // remove last '"'
-		vval[i].label = sjis2utf(s1);
-		vval_max = max(vval_max, i);
-		//WARNING("VolumeValancer[%d] = %s", i, vval[i].label);
+	FILE *fp = nact->files.init ? fopen(nact->files.init, "r") : NULL;
+	if (fp) {
+		char s[256], s1[256];
+		while (fgets(s, 255, fp) != NULL) {
+			s1[0] = '\0';
+			sscanf(s, "VolumeValancer[%d] = \"%s", &i, s1);
+			if (s1[0] == '\0') continue;
+			if (i >= MAXVOLCH || i < 0) continue;
+			s1[strlen(s1)-1] = '\0'; // remove last '"'
+			vval[i].label = sjis2utf(s1);
+			vval_max = max(vval_max, i);
+			nvalancer++;
+		}
+		fclose(fp);
 	}
 
-	if (vval_max <= 0) return false;
+	if (nvalancer == 0) {
+		// No VolumeValancer[] is defined (or there is no System39.ini). Fall back
+		// to two generic channels that control BGM and sound effects separately.
+		vval[BGM_VOLVAL_CH].label = strdup(_("BGM"));
+		vval[SE_VOLVAL_CH].label = strdup(_("Sound effects"));
+		vval_max = SE_VOLVAL_CH;
+	}
 
 	// Volume.sav があればそれを読み込む
 	snprintf(fn, sizeof(fn) -1, "%s/Volume.sav", nact->files.save_path);
@@ -101,10 +100,6 @@ bool volume_init(void) {
 	}
 	// どちらにしても music server に送る
 	mus_vol_set_valance(vol, MAXVOLCH);
-
-	vval_available = vval_max > 0;
-
-	return true;
 }
 
 // Volume Valance をセーブ
@@ -112,8 +107,6 @@ void volume_save(void) {
 	int vol[MAXVOLCH] = {0};
 	char fn[256];
 
-	if (!vval_available) return;
-
 	for (int i = 0; i < MAXVOLCH; i++) {
 		vol[i] = vval[i].vol;
 	}
@@ -203,8 +196,6 @@ static bool volume_build(mu_Context *ctx, modal *modal) {
 }
 
 void volume_dialog_open(void) {
-	if (!vval_available)
-		return;
 	struct volume_state st = {
 		.base = { .build = volume_build, .handler = modal_default_handler },
 	};
diff --git a/src/volume.h b/src/volume.h
index b7c0c4e..4170ba1 100644
--- a/src/volume.h
+++ b/src/volume.h
@@ -25,17 +25,13 @@
 
 #include <stdbool.h>
 
-// Reads System39.ini / Volume.sav and applies the volumes. Returns true if the
-// game defines any volume channels.
-bool volume_init(void);
+// Reads System39.ini / Volume.sav and applies the volumes.
+void volume_init(void);
 
 // Saves the current volumes to Volume.sav (called at exit).
 void volume_save(void);
 
-// True if the loaded game defines any volume channels.
-bool volume_available(void);
-
-// Opens the modal volume controller dialog. No-op if no channels are defined.
+// Opens the modal volume controller dialog.
 void volume_dialog_open(void);
 
 #endif /* __VOLUME_H__ */
diff --git a/src/win/menubar.c b/src/win/menubar.c
index 8c50f87..77a5055 100644
--- a/src/win/menubar.c
+++ b/src/win/menubar.c
@@ -86,8 +86,6 @@ void win_menu_init(void) {
 	// Let SDL recalc the window size, taking menu height into account.
 	SDL_SetWindowSize(gfx_window, view_w, view_h);
 	CheckMenuItem(hmenu, ID_OPTION_MOUSE_MOVE, MF_BYCOMMAND | MFS_CHECKED);
-	if (!volume_available())
-		EnableMenuItem(hmenu, ID_OPTION_SOUND, MF_BYCOMMAND | MF_GRAYED);
 }
 
 void win_menu_onSysWMEvent(SDL_SysWMmsg* msg) {