diff --git a/libswscale/utils.c b/libswscale/utils.c
index 2a88dc96f7..5610701136 100644
--- a/libswscale/utils.c
+++ b/libswscale/utils.c
@@ -1786,6 +1786,9 @@ fail: // FIXME replace things by appropriate error codes
         int tmpH = sqrt(srcH * (int64_t)dstH);
         enum AVPixelFormat tmpFormat = AV_PIX_FMT_YUV420P;
 
+        if (isALPHA(srcFormat))
+            tmpFormat = AV_PIX_FMT_YUVA420P;
+
         if (srcW*(int64_t)srcH <= 4LL*dstW*dstH)
             return AVERROR(EINVAL);