diff --git a/libavcodec/g726.c b/libavcodec/g726.c
index 385d6fde96..88f7cee380 100644
--- a/libavcodec/g726.c
+++ b/libavcodec/g726.c
@@ -324,14 +324,8 @@ static av_cold int g726_init(AVCodecContext * avctx)
     AVG726Context* c = (AVG726Context*)avctx->priv_data;
     unsigned int index= (avctx->bit_rate + avctx->sample_rate/2) / avctx->sample_rate - 2;
 
-    if (
-        (avctx->bit_rate != 16000 && avctx->bit_rate != 24000 &&
-         avctx->bit_rate != 32000 && avctx->bit_rate != 40000)) {
-        av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "G726: unsupported audio format\n");
-        return -1;
-    }
-    if (avctx->sample_rate != 8000 && avctx->strict_std_compliance>FF_COMPLIANCE_INOFFICIAL) {
-        av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "G726: unsupported audio format\n");
+    if (avctx->bit_rate % avctx->sample_rate && avctx->codec->encode) {
+        av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Bitrate - Samplerate combination is invalid\n");
         return -1;
     }
     if(avctx->channels != 1){