diff --git a/src/modules/module-echo-cancel.c b/src/modules/module-echo-cancel.c
index 7e08eec5f..aa087e999 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-echo-cancel.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-echo-cancel.c
@@ -1587,19 +1587,27 @@ int pipewire__module_init(struct pw_impl_module *module, const char *args)
 		goto error;
 	}
 
+	unsigned int num = 0, denom = 1;
 	if (impl->aec->latency) {
-		unsigned int num, denom, req_num, req_denom;
+
+		if (sscanf(impl->aec->latency, "%u/%u", &num, &denom) != 2) {
+			pw_log_warn("Invalid AEC latency '%s', assuming 0", impl->aec->latency);
+			num = 0;
+			denom = 1;
+		}
+	}
+	if (num != 0 && denom != 0) {
+		unsigned int req_num = 0, req_denom = 1;
 		unsigned int factor = 0;
 		unsigned int new_num = 0;
 
-		spa_assert_se(sscanf(impl->aec->latency, "%u/%u", &num, &denom) == 2);
-
 		if ((str = pw_properties_get(props, PW_KEY_NODE_LATENCY)) != NULL) {
-			sscanf(str, "%u/%u", &req_num, &req_denom);
-			factor = (req_num * denom) / (req_denom * num);
-			new_num = req_num / factor * factor;
+			if (sscanf(str, "%u/%u", &req_num, &req_denom) == 2 &&
+			    req_denom != 0) {
+				factor = (req_num * denom) / (req_denom * num);
+				new_num = req_num / factor * factor;
+			}
 		}
-
 		if (factor == 0 || new_num == 0) {
 			pw_log_info("Setting node latency to %s", impl->aec->latency);
 			pw_properties_set(props, PW_KEY_NODE_LATENCY, impl->aec->latency);