diff --git a/src/core/sample_buffer.cpp b/src/core/sample_buffer.cpp
index 065ad846f..7f935a543 100644
--- a/src/core/sample_buffer.cpp
+++ b/src/core/sample_buffer.cpp
@@ -277,14 +277,17 @@ void sampleBuffer::update( bool _keep_settings )
 
 			// TODO: this list probably shouldn't be hardcoded
 			QString decoders = niceListOfExts();
-			QMessageBox::information( NULL, 
-				QObject::tr( "Unrecognized audio format" ),
-				QObject::tr( "None of the available audio decoders "
-					"recognized the format you are trying to load. Try "
-					"converting the file to a format LMMS understands.\n\n"
-					"Your file: %1\n"
-					"Available decoders: %2\n").arg( file, decoders ),
-				QMessageBox::Ok | QMessageBox::Default );
+			if( engine::hasGUI() )
+			{
+				QMessageBox::information( NULL,
+					QObject::tr( "Unrecognized audio format" ),
+					QObject::tr( "None of the available audio decoders "
+						"recognized the format you are trying to load. Try "
+						"converting the file to a format LMMS understands.\n\n"
+						"Your file: %1\n"
+						"Available decoders: %2\n").arg( file, decoders ),
+					QMessageBox::Ok | QMessageBox::Default );
+			}
 
 		}
 	}