diff --git a/reader.go b/reader.go
index b19324eb..e51e4dea 100644
--- a/reader.go
+++ b/reader.go
@@ -81,9 +81,31 @@ func (p *MasterPlaylist) decode(buf *bytes.Buffer, strict bool) error {
 	if strict && !state.m3u {
 		return errors.New("#EXTM3U absent")
 	}
+	if len(state.alternatives) > 0 {
+		p.setVariantAlternatives(state.alternatives)
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (p *MasterPlaylist) setVariantAlternatives(alternatives map[string][]*Alternative) {
+	for _, variant := range p.Variants {
+		// enumerate ext-x-media types
+		if val, ok := alternatives["AUDIO"+variant.Audio]; ok {
+			variant.Alternatives = append(variant.Alternatives, val...)
+		}
+		if val, ok := alternatives["VIDEO"+variant.Video]; ok {
+			variant.Alternatives = append(variant.Alternatives, val...)
+		}
+		if val, ok := alternatives["SUBTITLES"+variant.Subtitles]; ok {
+			variant.Alternatives = append(variant.Alternatives, val...)
+		}
+		if val, ok := alternatives["CLOSED-CAPTIONS"+variant.Captions]; ok {
+			variant.Alternatives = append(variant.Alternatives, val...)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // Decode parses a media playlist passed from the buffer. If `strict`
 // parameter is true then return first syntax error.
 func (p *MediaPlaylist) Decode(data bytes.Buffer, strict bool) error {
@@ -238,6 +260,10 @@ func decode(buf *bytes.Buffer, strict bool, customDecoders []CustomDecoder) (Pla
 		return nil, listType, errors.New("#EXTM3U absent")
 	}
 
+	if state.listType == MASTER && len(state.alternatives) > 0 {
+		master.setVariantAlternatives(state.alternatives)
+	}
+
 	switch state.listType {
 	case MASTER:
 		return master, MASTER, nil
@@ -301,6 +327,9 @@ func decodeLineOfMasterPlaylist(p *MasterPlaylist, state *decodingState, line st
 	case strings.HasPrefix(line, "#EXT-X-MEDIA:"):
 		var alt Alternative
 		state.listType = MASTER
+		if state.alternatives == nil {
+			state.alternatives = make(map[string][]*Alternative)
+		}
 		for k, v := range decodeParamsLine(line[13:]) {
 			switch k {
 			case "TYPE":
@@ -331,15 +360,12 @@ func decodeLineOfMasterPlaylist(p *MasterPlaylist, state *decodingState, line st
 				alt.URI = v
 			}
 		}
-		state.alternatives = append(state.alternatives, &alt)
+		// create hash out of type + group id
+		state.alternatives[alt.Type+alt.GroupId] = append(state.alternatives[alt.Type+alt.GroupId], &alt)
 	case !state.tagStreamInf && strings.HasPrefix(line, "#EXT-X-STREAM-INF:"):
 		state.tagStreamInf = true
 		state.listType = MASTER
 		state.variant = new(Variant)
-		if len(state.alternatives) > 0 {
-			state.variant.Alternatives = state.alternatives
-			state.alternatives = nil
-		}
 		p.Variants = append(p.Variants, state.variant)
 		for k, v := range decodeParamsLine(line[18:]) {
 			switch k {
@@ -395,10 +421,6 @@ func decodeLineOfMasterPlaylist(p *MasterPlaylist, state *decodingState, line st
 		state.listType = MASTER
 		state.variant = new(Variant)
 		state.variant.Iframe = true
-		if len(state.alternatives) > 0 {
-			state.variant.Alternatives = state.alternatives
-			state.alternatives = nil
-		}
 		p.Variants = append(p.Variants, state.variant)
 		for k, v := range decodeParamsLine(line[26:]) {
 			switch k {
diff --git a/reader_test.go b/reader_test.go
index 8d60b16c..7e21e40e 100644
--- a/reader_test.go
+++ b/reader_test.go
@@ -86,17 +86,17 @@ func TestDecodeMasterPlaylistWithAlternatives(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	// TODO check other values
 	for i, v := range p.Variants {
-		if i == 0 && len(v.Alternatives) != 3 {
-			t.Fatalf("not all alternatives from #EXT-X-MEDIA parsed (has %d but should be 3", len(v.Alternatives))
+		if i == 0 && len(v.Alternatives) != 6 {
+			t.Fatalf("not all alternatives from #EXT-X-MEDIA parsed (has %d but should be 6", len(v.Alternatives))
 		}
-		if i == 1 && len(v.Alternatives) != 3 {
-			t.Fatalf("not all alternatives from #EXT-X-MEDIA parsed (has %d but should be 3", len(v.Alternatives))
+		if i == 1 && len(v.Alternatives) != 6 {
+			t.Fatalf("not all alternatives from #EXT-X-MEDIA parsed (has %d but should be 6", len(v.Alternatives))
 		}
-		if i == 2 && len(v.Alternatives) != 3 {
-			t.Fatalf("not all alternatives from #EXT-X-MEDIA parsed (has %d but should be 3", len(v.Alternatives))
+		if i == 2 && len(v.Alternatives) != 6 {
+			t.Fatalf("not all alternatives from #EXT-X-MEDIA parsed (has %d but should be 6", len(v.Alternatives))
 		}
-		if i == 3 && len(v.Alternatives) > 0 {
-			t.Fatal("should not be alternatives for this variant")
+		if i == 3 && len(v.Alternatives) != 3 {
+			t.Fatalf("not all alternatives from #EXT-X-MEDIA parsed (has %d but should be 3", len(v.Alternatives))
 		}
 	}
 	// fmt.Println(p.Encode().String())
diff --git a/sample-playlists/master-with-alternatives.m3u8 b/sample-playlists/master-with-alternatives.m3u8
index ea6ea2f6..47b890f5 100644
--- a/sample-playlists/master-with-alternatives.m3u8
+++ b/sample-playlists/master-with-alternatives.m3u8
@@ -2,17 +2,22 @@
 #EXT-X-MEDIA:TYPE=VIDEO,GROUP-ID="low",NAME="Main",DEFAULT=YES,URI="low/main/audio-video.m3u8"
 #EXT-X-MEDIA:TYPE=VIDEO,GROUP-ID="low",NAME="Centerfield",DEFAULT=NO,URI="low/centerfield/audio-video.m3u8"
 #EXT-X-MEDIA:TYPE=VIDEO,GROUP-ID="low",NAME="Dugout",DEFAULT=NO,URI="low/dugout/audio-video.m3u8"
-#EXT-X-STREAM-INF:BANDWIDTH=1280000,VIDEO="low"
-low/main/audio-video.m3u8
 #EXT-X-MEDIA:TYPE=VIDEO,GROUP-ID="mid",NAME="Main",DEFAULT=YES,URI="mid/main/audio-video.m3u8"
 #EXT-X-MEDIA:TYPE=VIDEO,GROUP-ID="mid",NAME="Centerfield",DEFAULT=NO,URI="mid/centerfield/audio-video.m3u8"
 #EXT-X-MEDIA:TYPE=VIDEO,GROUP-ID="mid",NAME="Dugout",DEFAULT=NO,URI="mid/dugout/audio-video.m3u8"
-#EXT-X-STREAM-INF:BANDWIDTH=2560000,VIDEO="mid"
-mid/main/audio-video.m3u8
 #EXT-X-MEDIA:TYPE=VIDEO,GROUP-ID="hi",NAME="Main",DEFAULT=YES,URI="hi/main/audio-video.m3u8"
 #EXT-X-MEDIA:TYPE=VIDEO,GROUP-ID="hi",NAME="Centerfield",DEFAULT=NO,URI="hi/centerfield/audio-video.m3u8"
 #EXT-X-MEDIA:TYPE=VIDEO,GROUP-ID="hi",NAME="Dugout",DEFAULT=NO,URI="hi/dugout/audio-video.m3u8"
-#EXT-X-STREAM-INF:BANDWIDTH=7680000,VIDEO="hi"
+
+#EXT-X-MEDIA:TYPE=AUDIO,GROUP-ID="audio",NAME="English",LANGUAGE="en",DEFAULT=YES,AUTOSELECT=YES
+#EXT-X-MEDIA:TYPE=AUDIO,GROUP-ID="audio",NAME="Spanish",LANGUAGE="es",DEFAULT=NO,AUTOSELECT=YES,URI="main/spa.m3u8"
+#EXT-X-MEDIA:TYPE=AUDIO,GROUP-ID="audio",NAME="French",LANGUAGE="fr",DEFAULT=NO,AUTOSELECT=YES,URI="main/fra.m3u8"
+
+#EXT-X-STREAM-INF:BANDWIDTH=1280000,VIDEO="low",AUDIO="audio"
+low/main/audio-video.m3u8
+#EXT-X-STREAM-INF:BANDWIDTH=2560000,VIDEO="mid",AUDIO="audio"
+mid/main/audio-video.m3u8
+#EXT-X-STREAM-INF:BANDWIDTH=7680000,VIDEO="hi",AUDIO="audio"
 hi/main/audio-video.m3u8
-#EXT-X-STREAM-INF:BANDWIDTH=65000,CODECS="mp4a.40.5"
+#EXT-X-STREAM-INF:BANDWIDTH=65000,CODECS="mp4a.40.5",AUDIO="audio"
 main/audio-only.m3u8
diff --git a/structure.go b/structure.go
index eb5d01a2..b05ef2e4 100644
--- a/structure.go
+++ b/structure.go
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ type decodingState struct {
 	duration           float64
 	title              string
 	variant            *Variant
-	alternatives       []*Alternative
+	alternatives       map[string][]*Alternative
 	xkey               *Key
 	xmap               *Map
 	scte               *SCTE