diff --git a/gst/vaapi/gstvaapipluginutil.c b/gst/vaapi/gstvaapipluginutil.c
index 7b0ced4c8b..21f7e03dd7 100644
--- a/gst/vaapi/gstvaapipluginutil.c
+++ b/gst/vaapi/gstvaapipluginutil.c
@@ -347,17 +347,14 @@ gst_vaapi_apply_composition (GstVaapiSurface * surface, GstBuffer * buffer)
 #if GST_CHECK_VERSION(1,0,0)
   GstVideoOverlayCompositionMeta *const cmeta =
       gst_buffer_get_video_overlay_composition_meta (buffer);
-  GstVideoOverlayComposition *composition;
+  GstVideoOverlayComposition *composition = NULL;
 
-  if (!cmeta)
-    return TRUE;
-  composition = cmeta->overlay;
+  if (cmeta)
+    composition = cmeta->overlay;
 #else
   GstVideoOverlayComposition *const composition =
       gst_video_buffer_get_overlay_composition (buffer);
 #endif
-  if (!composition)
-    return TRUE;
   return gst_vaapi_surface_set_subpictures_from_composition (surface,
       composition, TRUE);
 }