diff --git a/encode_lavc.c b/encode_lavc.c
index e38ca5bca8..66f434410a 100644
--- a/encode_lavc.c
+++ b/encode_lavc.c
@@ -233,15 +233,21 @@ int encode_lavc_start(struct encode_lavc_context *ctx)
         for (i = 0; i < ctx->avc->nb_streams; ++i)
             if (ctx->avc->streams[i]->codec->codec_type == AVMEDIA_TYPE_VIDEO)
                 break;
-        if (i >= ctx->avc->nb_streams)
+        if (i >= ctx->avc->nb_streams) {
+            encode_lavc_fail(ctx,
+                    "encode-lavc: video stream missing, invalid codec?\n");
             return 0;
+        }
     }
     if (ctx->expect_audio) {
         for (i = 0; i < ctx->avc->nb_streams; ++i)
             if (ctx->avc->streams[i]->codec->codec_type == AVMEDIA_TYPE_AUDIO)
                 break;
-        if (i >= ctx->avc->nb_streams)
+        if (i >= ctx->avc->nb_streams) {
+            encode_lavc_fail(ctx,
+                    "encode-lavc: audio stream missing, invalid codec?\n");
             return 0;
+        }
     }
 
     ctx->header_written = -1;
diff --git a/libao2/ao_lavc.c b/libao2/ao_lavc.c
index d4523f0d54..6aab53e291 100644
--- a/libao2/ao_lavc.c
+++ b/libao2/ao_lavc.c
@@ -293,6 +293,14 @@ static int encode(struct ao *ao, double apts, void *data);
 static void uninit(struct ao *ao, bool cut_audio)
 {
     struct priv *ac = ao->priv;
+    struct encode_lavc_context *ectx = ao->encode_lavc_ctx;
+
+    if (!encode_lavc_start(ectx)) {
+        mp_msg(MSGT_ENCODE, MSGL_WARN,
+		"ao-lavc: not even ready to encode audio at end -> dropped");
+        return;
+    }
+
     if (ac->buffer) {
         double pts = ao->pts + ac->offset / (double) ao->samplerate;
         if (ao->buffer.len > 0) {
@@ -455,7 +463,8 @@ static int play(struct ao *ao, void *data, int len, int flags)
     len /= ac->sample_size * ao->channels;
 
     if (!encode_lavc_start(ectx)) {
-        mp_msg(MSGT_ENCODE, MSGL_WARN, "ao-lavc: NOTE: deferred initial audio frame (probably because video is not there yet)\n");
+        mp_msg(MSGT_ENCODE, MSGL_WARN,
+		"ao-lavc: not ready yet for encoding audio\n");
         return 0;
     }
     if (pts == MP_NOPTS_VALUE) {