diff --git a/pipewire-pulseaudio/src/stream.c b/pipewire-pulseaudio/src/stream.c
index ebbb5be61..ca719ac0a 100644
--- a/pipewire-pulseaudio/src/stream.c
+++ b/pipewire-pulseaudio/src/stream.c
@@ -617,7 +617,8 @@ static void stream_unlink(pa_stream *s)
 	}
 
 	spa_list_remove(&s->link);
-	pw_stream_set_active(s->stream, false);
+	if (s->stream)
+		pw_stream_set_active(s->stream, false);
 
 	s->context = NULL;
 	pa_stream_unref(s);