diff --git a/daemon/codec.c b/daemon/codec.c
index 8198df5ad..bf0ca16fe 100644
--- a/daemon/codec.c
+++ b/daemon/codec.c
@@ -141,8 +141,11 @@ static void __codec_handler_free(void *pp) {
 	__handler_shutdown(h);
 	g_slice_free1(sizeof(*h), h);
 }
-void codec_handler_free(struct codec_handler *handler) {
-	__codec_handler_free(handler);
+void codec_handler_free(struct codec_handler **handler) {
+	if (!handler || !*handler)
+		return;
+	__codec_handler_free(*handler);
+	*handler = NULL;
 }
 
 static struct codec_handler *__handler_new(const struct rtp_payload_type *pt) {
diff --git a/daemon/media_player.c b/daemon/media_player.c
index 29ad5ea1d..0c4e7b346 100644
--- a/daemon/media_player.c
+++ b/daemon/media_player.c
@@ -61,9 +61,7 @@ static void media_player_shutdown(struct media_player *mp) {
 	}
 
 	mp->media = NULL;
-	if (mp->handler)
-		codec_handler_free(mp->handler);
-	mp->handler = NULL;
+	codec_handler_free(&mp->handler);
 	if (mp->avioctx) {
 		if (mp->avioctx->buffer)
 			av_freep(&mp->avioctx->buffer);
diff --git a/include/codec.h b/include/codec.h
index 7561fc5c0..702a8956c 100644
--- a/include/codec.h
+++ b/include/codec.h
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ struct codec_handler *codec_handler_get(struct call_media *, int payload_type);
 void codec_handlers_free(struct call_media *);
 struct codec_handler *codec_handler_make_playback(const struct rtp_payload_type *src_pt,
 		const struct rtp_payload_type *dst_pt, unsigned long ts);
-void codec_handler_free(struct codec_handler *handler);
+void codec_handler_free(struct codec_handler **handler);
 void ensure_codec_def(struct rtp_payload_type *pt, struct call_media *media);
 
 void codec_add_raw_packet(struct media_packet *mp);