diff --git a/src/core/BufferManager.cpp b/src/core/BufferManager.cpp
index d7328c991..1942d2116 100644
--- a/src/core/BufferManager.cpp
+++ b/src/core/BufferManager.cpp
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ void BufferManager::clear( surroundSampleFrame * ab, const f_cnt_t frames,
 
 void BufferManager::release( sampleFrame * buf )
 {
+	if (buf == nullptr) return;
 	int i = s_releasedIndex.fetchAndAddOrdered( 1 );
 	s_released[ i ] = buf;
 	//qDebug( "released buffer: %p - index %d", buf, i );
diff --git a/src/core/PlayHandle.cpp b/src/core/PlayHandle.cpp
index 1838133a6..53a8fc7f4 100644
--- a/src/core/PlayHandle.cpp
+++ b/src/core/PlayHandle.cpp
@@ -58,6 +58,6 @@ void PlayHandle::doProcessing()
 
 void PlayHandle::releaseBuffer()
 {
-	if( m_playHandleBuffer ) BufferManager::release( m_playHandleBuffer );
+	BufferManager::release( m_playHandleBuffer );
 	m_playHandleBuffer = NULL;
 }