diff --git a/libAACenc/src/aacenc_lib.cpp b/libAACenc/src/aacenc_lib.cpp
index 11db3da..f92cff4 100644
--- a/libAACenc/src/aacenc_lib.cpp
+++ b/libAACenc/src/aacenc_lib.cpp
@@ -1733,9 +1733,10 @@
   }
 
   /* check if buffer descriptors are filled out properly. */
-  if ((AACENC_OK != validateBufDesc(inBufDesc)) ||
-      (AACENC_OK != validateBufDesc(outBufDesc)) || (inargs == NULL) ||
-      (outargs == NULL)) {
+  if ((inargs == NULL) || (outargs == NULL) ||
+      ((AACENC_OK != validateBufDesc(inBufDesc)) &&
+       (inargs->numInSamples > 0)) ||
+      (AACENC_OK != validateBufDesc(outBufDesc))) {
     err = AACENC_UNSUPPORTED_PARAMETER;
     goto bail;
   }