diff --git a/services/audiopolicy/AudioPolicyManager.cpp b/services/audiopolicy/AudioPolicyManager.cpp
index 535e825..01a6c55 100644
--- a/services/audiopolicy/AudioPolicyManager.cpp
+++ b/services/audiopolicy/AudioPolicyManager.cpp
@@ -4358,11 +4358,15 @@
     muteWaitMs = checkDeviceMuteStrategies(outputDesc, prevDevice, delayMs);
 
     // Do not change the routing if:
-    //  - the requested device is AUDIO_DEVICE_NONE
-    //  - the requested device is the same as current device and force is not specified.
+    //      the requested device is AUDIO_DEVICE_NONE
+    //      OR the requested device is the same as current device
+    //  AND force is not specified
+    //  AND the output is connected by a valid audio patch.
     // Doing this check here allows the caller to call setOutputDevice() without conditions
-    if ((device == AUDIO_DEVICE_NONE || device == prevDevice) && !force) {
-        ALOGV("setOutputDevice() setting same device %04x or null device for output %d", device, output);
+    if ((device == AUDIO_DEVICE_NONE || device == prevDevice) && !force &&
+            outputDesc->mPatchHandle != 0) {
+        ALOGV("setOutputDevice() setting same device %04x or null device for output %d",
+              device, output);
         return muteWaitMs;
     }