diff --git a/gst/asfdemux/gstasfdemux.c b/gst/asfdemux/gstasfdemux.c
index c9d7c370d8..09168a8c93 100644
--- a/gst/asfdemux/gstasfdemux.c
+++ b/gst/asfdemux/gstasfdemux.c
@@ -3575,7 +3575,7 @@ gst_asf_demux_process_header (GstASFDemux * demux, guint8 * data, guint64 size)
   unknown = gst_asf_demux_get_uint8 (&data, &size);
 
   GST_INFO_OBJECT (demux, "object is a header with %u parts", num_objects);
-
+  demux->saw_file_header = FALSE;
   /* Loop through the header's objects, processing those */
   for (i = 0; i < num_objects; ++i) {
     GST_INFO_OBJECT (demux, "reading header part %u", i);
@@ -3585,6 +3585,11 @@ gst_asf_demux_process_header (GstASFDemux * demux, guint8 * data, guint64 size)
       break;
     }
   }
+  if (!demux->saw_file_header) {
+    GST_ELEMENT_ERROR (demux, STREAM, DEMUX, (NULL),
+        ("Header does not have mandatory FILE section"));
+    return GST_FLOW_ERROR;
+  }
 
   return ret;
 
@@ -3665,6 +3670,8 @@ gst_asf_demux_process_file (GstASFDemux * demux, guint8 * data, guint64 size)
       packets_count);
   GST_INFO ("preroll = %" G_GUINT64_FORMAT, demux->preroll);
 
+  demux->saw_file_header = TRUE;
+
   return GST_FLOW_OK;
 
 /* ERRORS */
diff --git a/gst/asfdemux/gstasfdemux.h b/gst/asfdemux/gstasfdemux.h
index 0e8ad85205..953b4963d0 100644
--- a/gst/asfdemux/gstasfdemux.h
+++ b/gst/asfdemux/gstasfdemux.h
@@ -240,6 +240,8 @@ struct _GstASFDemux {
 
   /* parsing 3D */
   GstASF3DMode asf_3D_mode;
+
+  gboolean saw_file_header;
 };
 
 struct _GstASFDemuxClass {