diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/gst-libs/gst/rtsp/gstrtspconnection.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/gst-libs/gst/rtsp/gstrtspconnection.c
index a822d956b9..40ca87ace3 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/gst-libs/gst/rtsp/gstrtspconnection.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/gst-libs/gst/rtsp/gstrtspconnection.c
@@ -1676,6 +1676,9 @@ read_bytes (GstRTSPConnection * conn, guint8 * buffer, guint * idx, guint size,
   if (G_UNLIKELY (*idx > size))
     return GST_RTSP_ERROR;
 
+  if (G_UNLIKELY (!conn->input_stream))
+    return GST_RTSP_EINVAL;
+
   left = size - *idx;
 
   while (left) {
@@ -1694,6 +1697,9 @@ error:
     if (G_UNLIKELY (r == 0))
       return GST_RTSP_EEOF;
 
+    if (G_UNLIKELY (!err))
+      return GST_RTSP_EINVAL;
+
     GST_DEBUG ("%s", err->message);
     res = gst_rtsp_result_from_g_io_error (err, GST_RTSP_ESYS);
     g_clear_error (&err);