diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/assrender/gstassrender.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/assrender/gstassrender.c
index 64c796e482..51c798770f 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/assrender/gstassrender.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/assrender/gstassrender.c
@@ -1572,6 +1572,10 @@ gst_ass_render_handle_tag_sample (GstAssRender * render, GstSample * sample)
   if (!buf || !structure)
     return;
 
+  filename = gst_structure_get_string (structure, "filename");
+  if (!filename)
+    return;
+
   valid_mimetype = FALSE;
   valid_extension = FALSE;
 
@@ -1585,10 +1589,6 @@ gst_ass_render_handle_tag_sample (GstAssRender * render, GstSample * sample)
     }
   }
 
-  filename = gst_structure_get_string (structure, "filename");
-  if (!filename)
-    return;
-
   if (!valid_mimetype) {
     guint len = strlen (filename);
     const gchar *extension = filename + len - 4;