diff --git a/camera/device/3.4/default/CameraDeviceSession.cpp b/camera/device/3.4/default/CameraDeviceSession.cpp
index f6c6b2b..423748a 100644
--- a/camera/device/3.4/default/CameraDeviceSession.cpp
+++ b/camera/device/3.4/default/CameraDeviceSession.cpp
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@
 
         for (size_t i = 0; i < settingsCount; i++) {
             uint64_t settingsSize = request.physicalCameraSettings[i].fmqSettingsSize;
-            const camera_metadata_t *settings;
+            const camera_metadata_t *settings = nullptr;
             if (settingsSize > 0) {
                 physicalFmq.push_back(V3_2::CameraMetadata(settingsSize));
                 bool read = mRequestMetadataQueue->read(physicalFmq[i].data(), settingsSize);
@@ -400,6 +400,13 @@
                 ALOGE("%s: physical camera settings metadata is corrupt!", __FUNCTION__);
                 return Status::ILLEGAL_ARGUMENT;
             }
+
+            if (mFirstRequest && settings == nullptr) {
+                ALOGE("%s: Individual request settings must not be null for first request!",
+                        __FUNCTION__);
+                return Status::ILLEGAL_ARGUMENT;
+            }
+
             physicalCameraIds.push_back(request.physicalCameraSettings[i].physicalCameraId.c_str());
         }
     }
diff --git a/camera/device/3.4/types.hal b/camera/device/3.4/types.hal
index c8ebb17..f00b876 100644
--- a/camera/device/3.4/types.hal
+++ b/camera/device/3.4/types.hal
@@ -207,9 +207,14 @@
 
     /**
      * If fmqSettingsSize is zero, the settings buffer contains the capture and
-     * processing parameters for the physical device with id 'phyCamId'.
-     * In case the individual settings are empty or missing, Hal should fail the
-     * request and return Status::ILLEGAL_ARGUMENT.
+     * processing parameters for the physical device with id 'physicalCameraId'.
+     * As a special case, an empty settings buffer indicates that the
+     * settings are identical to the most-recently submitted capture request.
+     * An empty buffer cannot be used as the first submitted request after
+     * a configureStreams() call.
+     *
+     * This field must be used if fmqSettingsSize is zero. It must not be used
+     * if fmqSettingsSize is non-zero.
      */
     CameraMetadata settings;
 };