diff --git a/libavfilter/af_atempo.c b/libavfilter/af_atempo.c
index 9eee8a63a8..8b214bccd7 100644
--- a/libavfilter/af_atempo.c
+++ b/libavfilter/af_atempo.c
@@ -914,6 +914,11 @@ static int yae_flush(ATempoContext *atempo,
 
     atempo->state = YAE_FLUSH_OUTPUT;
 
+    if (!atempo->nfrag) {
+        // there is nothing to flush:
+        return 0;
+    }
+
     if (atempo->position[0] == frag->position[0] + frag->nsamples &&
         atempo->position[1] == frag->position[1] + frag->nsamples) {
         // the current fragment is already flushed: