diff --git a/src/streaming.c b/src/streaming.c
index 9204689f..4832c03d 100644
--- a/src/streaming.c
+++ b/src/streaming.c
@@ -272,6 +272,9 @@ streaming_start_unref(streaming_start_t *ss)
 void
 streaming_msg_free(streaming_message_t *sm)
 {
+  if (!sm)
+    return;
+
   switch(sm->sm_type) {
   case SMT_PACKET:
     if(sm->sm_data)
diff --git a/src/subscriptions.c b/src/subscriptions.c
index 23ee942f..9fef32e9 100644
--- a/src/subscriptions.c
+++ b/src/subscriptions.c
@@ -79,8 +79,7 @@ subscription_link_service(th_subscription_t *s, service_t *t)
 
   if(TAILQ_FIRST(&t->s_filt_components) != NULL) {
 
-    if(s->ths_start_message != NULL)
-      streaming_msg_free(s->ths_start_message);
+    streaming_msg_free(s->ths_start_message);
 
     s->ths_start_message =
       streaming_msg_create_data(SMT_START, service_build_stream_start(t));
@@ -459,8 +458,7 @@ subscription_input(void *opauqe, streaming_message_t *sm)
     }
 
     if(sm->sm_type == SMT_START) {
-      if(s->ths_start_message != NULL) 
-        streaming_msg_free(s->ths_start_message);
+      streaming_msg_free(s->ths_start_message);
       s->ths_start_message = sm;
       return;
     }
@@ -552,8 +550,7 @@ subscription_unsubscribe(th_subscription_t *s)
     mpegts_mux_remove_subscriber(s->ths_mmi->mmi_mux, s, SM_CODE_OK);
 #endif
 
-  if(s->ths_start_message != NULL) 
-    streaming_msg_free(s->ths_start_message);
+  streaming_msg_free(s->ths_start_message);
 
   if(s->ths_output->st_cb == subscription_input_null)
    free(s->ths_output);