diff --git a/spa/plugins/support/loop.c b/spa/plugins/support/loop.c
index 57b87010c..88364b7b3 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/support/loop.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/support/loop.c
@@ -751,6 +751,8 @@ static int loop_iterate_cancel(void *object, int timeout)
 	int i, nfds;
 	uint32_t remove_count;
 
+	spa_return_val_if_fail(impl->enter_count > 0, -EPERM);
+
 	remove_count = impl->remove_count;
 	spa_loop_control_hook_before(&impl->hooks_list);
 	spa_assert_se(pthread_mutex_unlock(&impl->lock) == 0);
@@ -799,6 +801,8 @@ static int loop_iterate(void *object, int timeout)
 	int i, nfds;
 	uint32_t remove_count;
 
+	spa_return_val_if_fail(impl->enter_count > 0, -EPERM);
+
 	remove_count = impl->remove_count;
 	spa_loop_control_hook_before(&impl->hooks_list);
 	spa_assert_se(pthread_mutex_unlock(&impl->lock) == 0);