diff --git a/lib_enc/ivas_core_pre_proc_front.c b/lib_enc/ivas_core_pre_proc_front.c
index 38651b5be0d7c1c411135d7b8c3aa012aa6f9b32..46c3b8be671c927142718144850ee25c71507891 100644
--- a/lib_enc/ivas_core_pre_proc_front.c
+++ b/lib_enc/ivas_core_pre_proc_front.c
@@ -294,8 +294,9 @@ ivas_error pre_proc_front_ivas_fx(
     }
 
 #ifdef DEBUG_MODE_INFO
-    if ( !( hCPE->hStereoTD != NULL && ch_idx > 0 ) )
+    if ( !( hCPE != NULL && hCPE->hStereoTD != NULL && ch_idx > 0 ) )
     {
+        /* for TD stereo only write out first channel. The existence of a second channel can vary, this is just easier to handle */
         int16_t tmpF[L_FRAME48k];
         for ( int16_t isample = 0; isample < input_frame; isample++ )
         {