diff --git a/src/main/java/net/dv8tion/jda/internal/audio/AudioConnection.java b/src/main/java/net/dv8tion/jda/internal/audio/AudioConnection.java
index 7e9d65ab63..b06e7401a2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/dv8tion/jda/internal/audio/AudioConnection.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/dv8tion/jda/internal/audio/AudioConnection.java
@@ -581,6 +581,11 @@ private ByteBuffer encodeToOpus(ByteBuffer rawAudio)
         }
         ((Buffer) nonEncodedBuffer).flip();
 
+        if (opusEncoder == null || opusEncoder.getValue() == null)
+        {
+            throw new IllegalStateException("Opus encoder is not initialized! This should never happen, please report this as a bug.");
+        }
+
         int result = Opus.INSTANCE.opus_encode(opusEncoder, nonEncodedBuffer, OpusPacket.OPUS_FRAME_SIZE, encoded, encoded.capacity());
         if (result <= 0)
         {