diff --git a/media/jni/android_media_MediaPlayer.cpp b/media/jni/android_media_MediaPlayer.cpp
index 04ba34835da08..ad536f2315736 100644
--- a/media/jni/android_media_MediaPlayer.cpp
+++ b/media/jni/android_media_MediaPlayer.cpp
@@ -274,6 +274,11 @@ setVideoSurface(JNIEnv *env, jobject thiz, jobject jsurface, jboolean mediaPlaye
         sp<Surface> surface(android_view_Surface_getSurface(env, jsurface));
         if (surface != NULL) {
             new_st = surface->getSurfaceTexture();
+            if (new_st == NULL) {
+                jniThrowException(env, "java/lang/IllegalArgumentException",
+                    "The surface does not have a binding SurfaceTexture!");
+                return;
+            }
             new_st->incStrong(thiz);
         } else {
             jniThrowException(env, "java/lang/IllegalArgumentException",