diff --git a/gfx/video_driver.c b/gfx/video_driver.c
index f1e6b9e51c..a9548a996c 100644
--- a/gfx/video_driver.c
+++ b/gfx/video_driver.c
@@ -2121,7 +2121,7 @@ void video_driver_frame(const void *data, unsigned width,
 
    video_driver_msg[0] = '\0';
 
-   if (runloop_ctl(RUNLOOP_CTL_MSG_QUEUE_PULL, &msg))
+   if (runloop_ctl(RUNLOOP_CTL_MSG_QUEUE_PULL, &msg) && msg)
       strlcpy(video_driver_msg, msg, sizeof(video_driver_msg));
 
    if (!current_video || !current_video->frame(