diff --git a/src/format_speex.c b/src/format_speex.c
index e7f6701c1c2d60a86cbd3ec3146a54f43373b791..ed3dd82ad3021c7f665b0783c03c8552e76dbd81 100644
--- a/src/format_speex.c
+++ b/src/format_speex.c
@@ -73,6 +73,19 @@ ogg_codec_t *initial_speex_page (format_plugin_t *plugin, ogg_page *page)
 
     ogg_stream_packetout (&codec->os, &packet);
 
+    /* Check for te first packet to be at least of the minimal size for a Speex header.
+     * The header size is 80 bytes as per specs. You can find the specs here:
+     * https://speex.org/docs/manual/speex-manual/node8.html#SECTION00830000000000000000
+     *
+     * speex_packet_to_header() will also check the header size for us. However
+     * that function generates noise on stderr in case the header is too short.
+     * This is dangerous as we may have closed stderr already and the handle may be use
+     * again for something else.
+     */
+    if (packet.bytes < 80) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
     ICECAST_LOG_DEBUG("checking for speex codec");
     header = speex_packet_to_header ((char*)packet.packet, packet.bytes);
     if (header == NULL)