diff --git a/gst/vaapi/gstvaapisink.c b/gst/vaapi/gstvaapisink.c
index 0bdc714497..6663065d41 100644
--- a/gst/vaapi/gstvaapisink.c
+++ b/gst/vaapi/gstvaapisink.c
@@ -836,6 +836,11 @@ gst_vaapisink_navigation_send_event (GstNavigation * navigation,
   GstVaapiSink *const sink = GST_VAAPISINK (navigation);
   GstPad *peer;
 
+  if (!sink->window) {
+    gst_structure_free (structure);
+    return;
+  }
+
   if ((peer = gst_pad_get_peer (GST_VAAPI_PLUGIN_BASE_SINK_PAD (sink)))) {
     GstEvent *event;
     GstVaapiRectangle *disp_rect = &sink->display_rect;
@@ -843,9 +848,6 @@ gst_vaapisink_navigation_send_event (GstNavigation * navigation,
 
     event = gst_event_new_navigation (structure);
 
-    if (!sink->window)
-      return;
-
     /* We calculate scaling using the original video frames geometry to include
        pixel aspect ratio scaling. */
     xscale = (gdouble) sink->video_width / disp_rect->width;