diff --git a/libavcodec/mlpdec.c b/libavcodec/mlpdec.c
index 491fb864c0..f1a3b3a348 100644
--- a/libavcodec/mlpdec.c
+++ b/libavcodec/mlpdec.c
@@ -344,15 +344,20 @@ static int read_restart_header(MLPDecodeContext *m, GetBitContext *gbp,
                                  : MAX_MATRIX_CHANNEL_TRUEHD;
 
     sync_word = get_bits(gbp, 13);
-    s->noise_type = get_bits1(gbp);
 
-    if ((m->avctx->codec_id == CODEC_ID_MLP && s->noise_type) ||
-        sync_word != 0x31ea >> 1) {
+    if (sync_word != 0x31ea >> 1) {
         av_log(m->avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR,
                "restart header sync incorrect (got 0x%04x)\n", sync_word);
         return -1;
     }
 
+    s->noise_type = get_bits1(gbp);
+
+    if (m->avctx->codec_id == CODEC_ID_MLP && s->noise_type) {
+        av_log(m->avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "MLP must have 0x31ea sync word.\n");
+        return -1;
+    }
+
     skip_bits(gbp, 16); /* Output timestamp */
 
     s->min_channel        = get_bits(gbp, 4);