diff --git a/src/engine/client/sound.cpp b/src/engine/client/sound.cpp
index 9342ed57a..1ef64c204 100644
--- a/src/engine/client/sound.cpp
+++ b/src/engine/client/sound.cpp
@@ -346,8 +346,6 @@ bool CSound::DecodeOpus(CSample &Sample, const void *pData, unsigned DataSize) c
 	if(pOpusFile)
 	{
 		const int NumChannels = op_channel_count(pOpusFile, -1);
-		const int NumSamples = op_pcm_total(pOpusFile, -1); // per channel!
-
 		if(NumChannels > 2)
 		{
 			op_free(pOpusFile);
@@ -355,6 +353,14 @@ bool CSound::DecodeOpus(CSample &Sample, const void *pData, unsigned DataSize) c
 			return false;
 		}
 
+		const int NumSamples = op_pcm_total(pOpusFile, -1); // per channel!
+		if(NumSamples < 0)
+		{
+			op_free(pOpusFile);
+			dbg_msg("sound/opus", "failed to get number of samples, error %d", NumSamples);
+			return false;
+		}
+
 		short *pSampleData = (short *)calloc((size_t)NumSamples * NumChannels, sizeof(short));
 
 		int Pos = 0;