diff --git a/core/jni/android_media_AudioSystem.cpp b/core/jni/android_media_AudioSystem.cpp
index 7c4c97036bd83..5eb1e00947254 100644
--- a/core/jni/android_media_AudioSystem.cpp
+++ b/core/jni/android_media_AudioSystem.cpp
@@ -1930,7 +1930,11 @@ android_media_AudioSystem_startAudioSource(JNIEnv *env, jobject clazz,
     audio_port_handle_t handle;
     status_t status = AudioSystem::startAudioSource(&nAudioPortConfig, paa.get(), &handle);
     ALOGV("AudioSystem::startAudioSource() returned %d handle %d", status, handle);
-    return handle > 0 ? handle : nativeToJavaStatus(status);
+    if (status != NO_ERROR) {
+        return nativeToJavaStatus(status);
+    }
+    ALOG_ASSERT(handle > 0, "%s: invalid handle reported on successful call", __func__);
+    return handle;
 }
 
 static jint