diff --git a/sys/ximage/ximagesink.c b/sys/ximage/ximagesink.c
index c6931acd8c..e7f489298e 100644
--- a/sys/ximage/ximagesink.c
+++ b/sys/ximage/ximagesink.c
@@ -922,10 +922,13 @@ gst_ximagesink_xwindow_update_geometry (GstXImageSink * ximagesink)
   XWindowAttributes attr;
 
   g_return_if_fail (GST_IS_XIMAGESINK (ximagesink));
-  g_return_if_fail (ximagesink->xwindow != NULL);
 
   /* Update the window geometry */
   g_mutex_lock (ximagesink->x_lock);
+  if (G_UNLIKELY (ximagesink->xwindow == NULL)) {
+    g_mutex_unlock (ximagesink->x_lock);
+    return;
+  }
 
   XGetWindowAttributes (ximagesink->xcontext->disp,
       ximagesink->xwindow->win, &attr);
diff --git a/sys/xvimage/xvimagesink.c b/sys/xvimage/xvimagesink.c
index 8298a9a860..f2af4953f4 100644
--- a/sys/xvimage/xvimagesink.c
+++ b/sys/xvimage/xvimagesink.c
@@ -1048,10 +1048,13 @@ gst_xvimagesink_xwindow_update_geometry (GstXvImageSink * xvimagesink)
   XWindowAttributes attr;
 
   g_return_if_fail (GST_IS_XVIMAGESINK (xvimagesink));
-  g_return_if_fail (xvimagesink->xwindow != NULL);
 
   /* Update the window geometry */
   g_mutex_lock (xvimagesink->x_lock);
+  if (G_UNLIKELY (xvimagesink->xwindow == NULL)) {
+    g_mutex_unlock (xvimagesink->x_lock);
+    return;
+  }
 
   XGetWindowAttributes (xvimagesink->xcontext->disp,
       xvimagesink->xwindow->win, &attr);