diff --git a/plugins/channelrx/demodatv/atvdemod.cpp b/plugins/channelrx/demodatv/atvdemod.cpp
index 48516cd83..73ac7ef83 100644
--- a/plugins/channelrx/demodatv/atvdemod.cpp
+++ b/plugins/channelrx/demodatv/atvdemod.cpp
@@ -431,13 +431,13 @@ void ATVDemod::demod(Complex& c)
 
     //********** process video sample **********
 
-    if (m_running.m_enmATVStandard == ATVStdHSkip)
+    if (m_registeredTVScreen) // can process only if the screen is available (set via the GUI)
     {
-        processHSkip(fltVal, intVal);
-    }
-    else
-    {
-        processClassic(fltVal, intVal);
+        if (m_running.m_enmATVStandard == ATVStdHSkip) {
+            processHSkip(fltVal, intVal);
+        } else {
+            processClassic(fltVal, intVal);
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/plugins/channelrx/demodatv/atvdemod.h b/plugins/channelrx/demodatv/atvdemod.h
index 419c92623..dda259740 100644
--- a/plugins/channelrx/demodatv/atvdemod.h
+++ b/plugins/channelrx/demodatv/atvdemod.h
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ public:
     virtual QByteArray serialize() const { return QByteArray(); }
     virtual bool deserialize(const QByteArray& data __attribute__((unused))) { return false; }
 
-    void setTVScreen(TVScreen *objScreen);
+    void setTVScreen(TVScreen *objScreen); //!< set by the GUI
     int getSampleRate();
     int getEffectiveSampleRate();
     double getMagSq() const { return m_objMagSqAverage; } //!< Beware this is scaled to 2^30