diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/va/gstvafilter.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/va/gstvafilter.c
index 3eed9afe32..58a4b2ff70 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/va/gstvafilter.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/va/gstvafilter.c
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include "gstvacaps.h"
 #include "gstvadisplay_priv.h"
 #include "gstvavideoformat.h"
+#include "vasurfaceimage.h"
 
 struct _GstVaFilter
 {
@@ -1508,12 +1509,20 @@ static gboolean
 _fill_va_sample (GstVaFilter * self, GstVaSample * sample,
     GstPadDirection direction)
 {
-  GstVideoCropMeta *crop;
+  GstVideoCropMeta *crop = NULL;
 
-  sample->surface = gst_va_buffer_get_surface (sample->buffer);
+  if (sample->buffer)
+    sample->surface = gst_va_buffer_get_surface (sample->buffer);
   if (sample->surface == VA_INVALID_ID)
     return FALSE;
 
+  /* @FIXME: in gallium vaQuerySurfaceStatus only seems to work with
+   * encoder's surfaces */
+  if (!GST_VA_DISPLAY_IS_IMPLEMENTATION (self->display, MESA_GALLIUM)) {
+    if (!va_check_surface (self->display, sample->surface))
+      return FALSE;
+  }
+
   /* XXX: cropping occurs only in input frames */
   if (direction == GST_PAD_SRC) {
     GST_OBJECT_LOCK (self);
@@ -1524,7 +1533,8 @@ _fill_va_sample (GstVaFilter * self, GstVaSample * sample,
   }
 
   /* if buffer has crop meta, its real size is in video meta */
-  crop = gst_buffer_get_video_crop_meta (sample->buffer);
+  if (sample->buffer)
+    crop = gst_buffer_get_video_crop_meta (sample->buffer);
 
   GST_OBJECT_LOCK (self);
   if (crop && self->crop_enabled) {
@@ -1612,8 +1622,8 @@ gst_va_filter_process (GstVaFilter * self, GstVaSample * src, GstVaSample * dst)
   gboolean ret = FALSE;
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_VA_FILTER (self), FALSE);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (src && GST_IS_BUFFER (src->buffer), FALSE);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (dst && GST_IS_BUFFER (dst->buffer), FALSE);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (src, FALSE);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (dst, FALSE);
 
   if (!gst_va_filter_is_open (self))
     return FALSE;
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/va/vasurfaceimage.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/va/vasurfaceimage.c
index 2f0015d0bd..4b1b0982a4 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/va/vasurfaceimage.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/va/vasurfaceimage.c
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include "vasurfaceimage.h"
 
 #include "gstvavideoformat.h"
+#include <va/va.h>
 
 gboolean
 va_destroy_surfaces (GstVaDisplay * display, VASurfaceID * surfaces,
@@ -290,3 +291,22 @@ va_ensure_image (GstVaDisplay * display, VASurfaceID surface,
 
   return ret;
 }
+
+gboolean
+va_check_surface (GstVaDisplay * display, VASurfaceID surface)
+{
+  VADisplay dpy = gst_va_display_get_va_dpy (display);
+  VAStatus status;
+  VASurfaceStatus state;
+
+  gst_va_display_lock (display);
+  status = vaQuerySurfaceStatus (dpy, surface, &state);
+  gst_va_display_unlock (display);
+
+  if (status != VA_STATUS_SUCCESS)
+    GST_ERROR ("vaQuerySurfaceStatus: %s", vaErrorStr (status));
+
+  GST_LOG ("surface %#x status %d", surface, state);
+
+  return (status == VA_STATUS_SUCCESS);
+}
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/va/vasurfaceimage.h b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/va/vasurfaceimage.h
index 96b85c468a..787d8ca4f7 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/va/vasurfaceimage.h
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/va/vasurfaceimage.h
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ gboolean              va_export_surface_to_dmabuf         (GstVaDisplay * displa
                                                            VADRMPRIMESurfaceDescriptor * desc);
 gboolean              va_sync_surface                     (GstVaDisplay * display,
                                                            VASurfaceID surface);
+gboolean              va_check_surface                    (GstVaDisplay * display,
+                                                           VASurfaceID surface);
 
 /* images */
 gboolean              va_create_image                     (GstVaDisplay * display,