diff --git a/sound/core/rawmidi_compat.c b/sound/core/rawmidi_compat.c
index f69764d7cdd7..e30e30ba6e39 100644
--- a/sound/core/rawmidi_compat.c
+++ b/sound/core/rawmidi_compat.c
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@ static int snd_rawmidi_ioctl_params_compat(struct snd_rawmidi_file *rfile,
 	struct snd_rawmidi_params params;
 	unsigned int val;
 
-	if (rfile->output == NULL)
-		return -EINVAL;
 	if (get_user(params.stream, &src->stream) ||
 	    get_user(params.buffer_size, &src->buffer_size) ||
 	    get_user(params.avail_min, &src->avail_min) ||
@@ -46,8 +44,12 @@ static int snd_rawmidi_ioctl_params_compat(struct snd_rawmidi_file *rfile,
 	params.no_active_sensing = val;
 	switch (params.stream) {
 	case SNDRV_RAWMIDI_STREAM_OUTPUT:
+		if (!rfile->output)
+			return -EINVAL;
 		return snd_rawmidi_output_params(rfile->output, &params);
 	case SNDRV_RAWMIDI_STREAM_INPUT:
+		if (!rfile->input)
+			return -EINVAL;
 		return snd_rawmidi_input_params(rfile->input, &params);
 	}
 	return -EINVAL;
@@ -67,16 +69,18 @@ static int snd_rawmidi_ioctl_status_compat(struct snd_rawmidi_file *rfile,
 	int err;
 	struct snd_rawmidi_status status;
 
-	if (rfile->output == NULL)
-		return -EINVAL;
 	if (get_user(status.stream, &src->stream))
 		return -EFAULT;
 
 	switch (status.stream) {
 	case SNDRV_RAWMIDI_STREAM_OUTPUT:
+		if (!rfile->output)
+			return -EINVAL;
 		err = snd_rawmidi_output_status(rfile->output, &status);
 		break;
 	case SNDRV_RAWMIDI_STREAM_INPUT:
+		if (!rfile->input)
+			return -EINVAL;
 		err = snd_rawmidi_input_status(rfile->input, &status);
 		break;
 	default:
@@ -112,16 +116,18 @@ static int snd_rawmidi_ioctl_status_x32(struct snd_rawmidi_file *rfile,
 	int err;
 	struct snd_rawmidi_status status;
 
-	if (rfile->output == NULL)
-		return -EINVAL;
 	if (get_user(status.stream, &src->stream))
 		return -EFAULT;
 
 	switch (status.stream) {
 	case SNDRV_RAWMIDI_STREAM_OUTPUT:
+		if (!rfile->output)
+			return -EINVAL;
 		err = snd_rawmidi_output_status(rfile->output, &status);
 		break;
 	case SNDRV_RAWMIDI_STREAM_INPUT:
+		if (!rfile->input)
+			return -EINVAL;
 		err = snd_rawmidi_input_status(rfile->input, &status);
 		break;
 	default: