diff --git a/media/libmediaplayerservice/MediaPlayerService.cpp b/media/libmediaplayerservice/MediaPlayerService.cpp
index 95c91d1..d45dbcd 100644
--- a/media/libmediaplayerservice/MediaPlayerService.cpp
+++ b/media/libmediaplayerservice/MediaPlayerService.cpp
@@ -684,10 +684,18 @@
 
     sp<IServiceManager> sm = defaultServiceManager();
     sp<IBinder> binder = sm->getService(String16("media.extractor"));
+    if (binder == NULL) {
+        ALOGE("extractor service not available");
+        return NULL;
+    }
     mExtractorDeathListener = new ServiceDeathNotifier(binder, p, MEDIAEXTRACTOR_PROCESS_DEATH);
     binder->linkToDeath(mExtractorDeathListener);
 
     binder = sm->getService(String16("media.codec"));
+    if (binder == NULL) {
+        ALOGE("codec service not available");
+        return NULL;
+    }
     mCodecDeathListener = new ServiceDeathNotifier(binder, p, MEDIACODEC_PROCESS_DEATH);
     binder->linkToDeath(mCodecDeathListener);