diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/audio/gstaudioencoder.c b/gst-libs/gst/audio/gstaudioencoder.c
index 99b5ca6e9f..73a5f3748d 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/audio/gstaudioencoder.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/audio/gstaudioencoder.c
@@ -1971,8 +1971,12 @@ gst_audio_encoder_activate (GstAudioEncoder * enc, gboolean active)
     enc->priv->tags = gst_tag_list_new_empty ();
     enc->priv->tags_changed = FALSE;
 
-    if (!enc->priv->active && klass->start)
-      result = klass->start (enc);
+    if (!enc->priv->active) {
+      if (klass->start)
+        result = klass->start (enc);
+      else
+        result = TRUE;
+    }
   } else {
     /* We must make sure streaming has finished before resetting things
      * and calling the ::stop vfunc */