diff --git a/mplayer.c b/mplayer.c
index da905e6b33..2f1cea7ef4 100644
--- a/mplayer.c
+++ b/mplayer.c
@@ -565,7 +565,6 @@ if(!parse_codec_cfg(get_path("codecs.conf"))){
 		   ||(0==strcmp(&sub_name[l-4],".UTF"))))
 	  sub_utf8=1;
        subtitles=sub_read_file(sub_name);
-       if (sub_num == 0) printf ("SUB: No subtitles found in %s\n",sub_name);
        if(!subtitles || sub_num == 0) mp_msg(MSGT_CPLAYER,MSGL_ERR,MSGTR_CantLoadSub,sub_name);
   }
 #endif
diff --git a/subreader.c b/subreader.c
index 85fc36e800..94e916890b 100644
--- a/subreader.c
+++ b/subreader.c
@@ -633,6 +633,11 @@ subtitle* sub_read_file (char *filename) {
     if (sub_errs) printf (", %i bad line(s).\n", sub_errs);
     else 	  printf (".\n");
 
+    if(sub_num<=0){
+	free(first);
+	return NULL;
+    }
+
     return first;
 }