diff --git a/src/mod/applications/mod_av/avformat.c b/src/mod/applications/mod_av/avformat.c
index f7668cdcee..295fa4aa57 100644
--- a/src/mod/applications/mod_av/avformat.c
+++ b/src/mod/applications/mod_av/avformat.c
@@ -1948,7 +1948,7 @@ static switch_status_t av_file_open(switch_file_handle_t *handle, const char *pa
 
 	fmt = context->fc->oformat;
 
-	if ((tmp = switch_event_get_header(handle->params, "av_audio_codec"))) {
+	if (handle->params && (tmp = switch_event_get_header(handle->params, "av_audio_codec"))) {
 		if ((context->audio_codec = avcodec_find_encoder_by_name(tmp))) {
 			fmt->audio_codec = context->audio_codec->id;
 			switch_log_printf(SWITCH_CHANNEL_LOG, SWITCH_LOG_DEBUG, "specified audio codec %s %s [%s]\n", 
@@ -1956,7 +1956,7 @@ static switch_status_t av_file_open(switch_file_handle_t *handle, const char *pa
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (!strcasecmp(ext, "wav") || switch_true(switch_event_get_header(handle->params, "av_record_audio_only"))) {
+	if (!strcasecmp(ext, "wav") || (handle->params && switch_true(switch_event_get_header(handle->params, "av_record_audio_only")))) {
 		context->has_video = 0;
 		switch_clear_flag(handle, SWITCH_FILE_FLAG_VIDEO);
 	}