diff --git a/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayerDecoder.cpp b/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayerDecoder.cpp
index 9e579f9..a4a5861 100644
--- a/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayerDecoder.cpp
+++ b/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayerDecoder.cpp
@@ -95,7 +95,11 @@
 }
 
 NuPlayer::Decoder::~Decoder() {
-    mCodec->release();
+    // Need to stop looper first since mCodec could be accessed on the mDecoderLooper.
+    stopLooper();
+    if (mCodec != NULL) {
+        mCodec->release();
+    }
     releaseAndResetMediaBuffers();
 }
 
diff --git a/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayerDecoderBase.cpp b/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayerDecoderBase.cpp
index 1210dc9..d0de7b0 100644
--- a/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayerDecoderBase.cpp
+++ b/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayerDecoderBase.cpp
@@ -43,8 +43,7 @@
 }
 
 NuPlayer::DecoderBase::~DecoderBase() {
-    mDecoderLooper->unregisterHandler(id());
-    mDecoderLooper->stop();
+    stopLooper();
 }
 
 static
@@ -73,6 +72,11 @@
     mDecoderLooper->registerHandler(this);
 }
 
+void NuPlayer::DecoderBase::stopLooper() {
+    mDecoderLooper->unregisterHandler(id());
+    mDecoderLooper->stop();
+}
+
 void NuPlayer::DecoderBase::setParameters(const sp<AMessage> &params) {
     sp<AMessage> msg = new AMessage(kWhatSetParameters, this);
     msg->setMessage("params", params);
diff --git a/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayerDecoderBase.h b/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayerDecoderBase.h
index dcdfcaf..d44c396 100644
--- a/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayerDecoderBase.h
+++ b/media/libmediaplayerservice/nuplayer/NuPlayerDecoderBase.h
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@
 
     virtual ~DecoderBase();
 
+    void stopLooper();
+
     virtual void onMessageReceived(const sp<AMessage> &msg);
 
     virtual void onConfigure(const sp<AMessage> &format) = 0;