diff --git a/gst/camerabin/gstcamerabin.c b/gst/camerabin/gstcamerabin.c
index 8267500e58..5704513c6b 100644
--- a/gst/camerabin/gstcamerabin.c
+++ b/gst/camerabin/gstcamerabin.c
@@ -1816,6 +1816,10 @@ gst_camerabin_have_img_buffer (GstPad * pad, GstMiniObject * obj,
 
     GST_LOG ("got buffer %p with size %d", buffer, GST_BUFFER_SIZE (buffer));
 
+    if (camera->preview_caps) {
+      gst_camerabin_send_preview (camera, buffer);
+    }
+
     /* Image filename should be set by now */
     if (g_str_equal (camera->filename->str, "")) {
       GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (camera, "filename not set, dropping buffer");
@@ -1824,10 +1828,6 @@ gst_camerabin_have_img_buffer (GstPad * pad, GstMiniObject * obj,
       goto done;
     }
 
-    if (camera->preview_caps) {
-      gst_camerabin_send_preview (camera, buffer);
-    }
-
     gst_camerabin_rewrite_tags (camera);
 
     /* Send a custom event which tells the filename to image queue */
@@ -4045,11 +4045,14 @@ gst_camerabin_capture_start (GstCameraBin * camera)
     }
   }
 
-  if (g_str_equal (camera->filename->str, "")) {
-    GST_ELEMENT_ERROR (camera, CORE, FAILED,
-        ("set filename before starting capture"), (NULL));
-    return;
-  }
+  /* We need a filename unless it's a photo and preview_caps is set */
+
+  if (g_str_equal (camera->filename->str, ""))
+    if (camera->active_bin == camera->vidbin || !camera->preview_caps) {
+      GST_ELEMENT_ERROR (camera, CORE, FAILED,
+          ("set filename before starting capture"), (NULL));
+      return;
+    }
 
   g_mutex_lock (camera->capture_mutex);
   if (camera->capturing) {