diff --git a/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm.c b/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm.c
index ca31366dc..5fa31a392 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm.c
@@ -1094,7 +1094,7 @@ int spa_alsa_clear(struct state *state)
 
 	if ((err = snd_output_close(state->output)) < 0)
 		spa_log_warn(state->log, "output close failed: %s", snd_strerror(err));
-	fclose(state->log_file);
+	spa_clear_ptr(state->log_file, fclose);
 
 	free(state->tag[0]);
 	free(state->tag[1]);
@@ -1189,7 +1189,8 @@ static int do_link(struct state *driver, struct state *state)
 	snd_pcm_status_dump(status, state->output);
 	snd_pcm_status(state->hndl, status);
 	snd_pcm_status_dump(status, state->output);
-	fflush(state->log_file);
+	if (state->log_file)
+		fflush(state->log_file);
 
 	res = snd_pcm_link(driver->hndl, state->hndl);
 	if (res >= 0 || res == -EALREADY)
@@ -1734,7 +1735,8 @@ static void debug_hw_params(struct state *state, const char *prefix, snd_pcm_hw_
 	if (SPA_UNLIKELY(spa_log_level_topic_enabled(state->log, SPA_LOG_TOPIC_DEFAULT, SPA_LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG))) {
 		spa_log_debug(state->log, "%s:", prefix);
 		snd_pcm_hw_params_dump(params, state->output);
-		fflush(state->log_file);
+		if (state->log_file)
+			fflush(state->log_file);
 	}
 }
 static int enum_pcm_formats(struct state *state, uint32_t index, uint32_t *next,
@@ -2625,7 +2627,8 @@ static int set_swparams(struct state *state)
 	if (SPA_UNLIKELY(spa_log_level_topic_enabled(state->log, SPA_LOG_TOPIC_DEFAULT, SPA_LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG))) {
 		spa_log_debug(state->log, "state after sw_params:");
 		snd_pcm_dump(hndl, state->output);
-		fflush(state->log_file);
+		if (state->log_file)
+			fflush(state->log_file);
 	}
 
 	return 0;