diff --git a/spa/include/spa/buffer/meta.h b/spa/include/spa/buffer/meta.h
index e45d176b3..b58fc11dd 100644
--- a/spa/include/spa/buffer/meta.h
+++ b/spa/include/spa/buffer/meta.h
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ struct spa_meta_bitmap {
  * Cursor information
  */
 struct spa_meta_cursor {
-	uint32_t id;			/**< cursor id */
+	uint32_t id;			/**< cursor id, SPA_ID_INVALID for no cursor */
 	int32_t x, y;			/**< offsets on screen */
 	int32_t hotspot_x, hotspot_y;	/**< offsets for hotspot in bitmap */
 	uint32_t bitmap_offset;		/**< offset of bitmap meta in this structure */
diff --git a/src/examples/video-play.c b/src/examples/video-play.c
index 6c9496cef..32784fc75 100644
--- a/src/examples/video-play.c
+++ b/src/examples/video-play.c
@@ -133,7 +133,8 @@ on_stream_process(void *_data)
 			data->rect.h = mc->height;
 		}
 	}
-	if ((mcs = spa_buffer_find_meta(b, data->type.meta_cursor))) {
+	if ((mcs = spa_buffer_find_meta(b, data->type.meta_cursor)) &&
+	    mcs->id != SPA_ID_INVALID) {
 		struct spa_meta_bitmap *mb;
 		void *cdata;
 		int cstride;