diff --git a/libavcodec/v4l2_context.c b/libavcodec/v4l2_context.c
index a40be94690..f20f713e1d 100644
--- a/libavcodec/v4l2_context.c
+++ b/libavcodec/v4l2_context.c
@@ -325,9 +325,13 @@ start:
 
     /* 0. handle errors */
     if (pfd.revents & POLLERR) {
-        /* if we are trying to get free buffers but none have been queued yet
-           no need to raise a warning */
+        /* if we are trying to get free buffers but none have been queued yet,
+         * or if no buffers have been allocated yet, no need to raise a warning
+         */
         if (timeout == 0) {
+            if (!ctx->buffers)
+                return NULL;
+
             for (i = 0; i < ctx->num_buffers; i++) {
                 if (ctx->buffers[i].status != V4L2BUF_AVAILABLE)
                     av_log(logger(ctx), AV_LOG_WARNING, "%s POLLERR\n", ctx->name);