diff --git a/examples/encoder_example.c b/examples/encoder_example.c
index 8d244dabba4d6482390c79dfabb6a4d4da9076a8..fc64c545467557b062329f75e80ca7379945a092 100644
--- a/examples/encoder_example.c
+++ b/examples/encoder_example.c
@@ -775,6 +775,10 @@ static void id_file(char *f){
 
           audio=test;
           audio_ch=buffer[6]+(buffer[7]<<8);
+          if (0 >= audio_ch) {
+            fprintf(stderr,"Can only read WAV files with non-zero audio channels for now.\n");
+            exit(1);
+          }
           audio_hz=buffer[8]+(buffer[9]<<8)+
             (buffer[10]<<16)+(buffer[11]<<24);