diff --git a/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm-sink.c b/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm-sink.c
index 49e6ee557..c3edd3b19 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm-sink.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm-sink.c
@@ -757,7 +757,8 @@ impl_node_port_set_io(void *object,
 		break;
 	case SPA_IO_RateMatch:
 		this->rate_match = data;
-		spa_alsa_update_rate_match(this);
+		if (this->rate_match)
+			spa_alsa_update_rate_match(this);
 		break;
 	default:
 		return -ENOENT;
diff --git a/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm-source.c b/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm-source.c
index 5ee9a4c99..43356e526 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm-source.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm-source.c
@@ -687,7 +687,8 @@ impl_node_port_set_io(void *object,
 		break;
 	case SPA_IO_RateMatch:
 		this->rate_match = data;
-		spa_alsa_update_rate_match(this);
+		if (this->rate_match)
+			spa_alsa_update_rate_match(this);
 		break;
 	default:
 		return -ENOENT;