diff --git a/sound/core/oss/pcm_oss.c b/sound/core/oss/pcm_oss.c
index f5ff4f4a16ee0b7964599c49f1311176dc7a6aa1..472fce0ee0e8111210e68ead84424f4f477635f2 100644
--- a/sound/core/oss/pcm_oss.c
+++ b/sound/core/oss/pcm_oss.c
@@ -2228,6 +2228,8 @@ static int snd_pcm_oss_open_file(struct file *file,
 	for (idx = 0; idx < 2; idx++) {
 		if (setup[idx].disable)
 			continue;
+		if (! pcm->streams[idx].substream_count)
+			continue; /* no matching substream */
 		if (idx == SNDRV_PCM_STREAM_PLAYBACK) {
 			if (! (f_mode & FMODE_WRITE))
 				continue;