diff --git a/video/out/cocoa_common.m b/video/out/cocoa_common.m
index ab2f666c3e..2cb365cc1f 100644
--- a/video/out/cocoa_common.m
+++ b/video/out/cocoa_common.m
@@ -515,10 +515,12 @@ static int cocoa_set_window_title(struct vo *vo)
     void *talloc_ctx   = talloc_new(NULL);
     struct bstr btitle =
         bstr_sanitize_utf8_latin1(talloc_ctx, bstr0(s->window_title));
-    NSString *nstitle  = [NSString stringWithUTF8String:btitle.start];
-    if (nstitle) {
-        [s->window setTitle: nstitle];
-        [s->window displayIfNeeded];
+    if (btitle.start) {
+        NSString *nstitle  = [NSString stringWithUTF8String:btitle.start];
+        if (nstitle) {
+            [s->window setTitle: nstitle];
+            [s->window displayIfNeeded];
+        }
     }
     talloc_free(talloc_ctx);
     return VO_TRUE;