diff --git a/fftools/ffmpeg_enc.c b/fftools/ffmpeg_enc.c
index 59e9466420..f023657a07 100644
--- a/fftools/ffmpeg_enc.c
+++ b/fftools/ffmpeg_enc.c
@@ -345,24 +345,6 @@ int enc_open(OutputStream *ost, AVFrame *frame)
                    dec_ctx->subtitle_header_size);
             enc_ctx->subtitle_header_size = dec_ctx->subtitle_header_size;
         }
-        if (ist && ist->dec->type == AVMEDIA_TYPE_SUBTITLE &&
-            enc_ctx->codec_type == AVMEDIA_TYPE_SUBTITLE) {
-            int input_props = 0, output_props = 0;
-            AVCodecDescriptor const *input_descriptor =
-                avcodec_descriptor_get(ist->dec->id);
-            AVCodecDescriptor const *output_descriptor =
-                avcodec_descriptor_get(enc_ctx->codec_id);
-            if (input_descriptor)
-                input_props = input_descriptor->props & (AV_CODEC_PROP_TEXT_SUB | AV_CODEC_PROP_BITMAP_SUB);
-            if (output_descriptor)
-                output_props = output_descriptor->props & (AV_CODEC_PROP_TEXT_SUB | AV_CODEC_PROP_BITMAP_SUB);
-            if (input_props && output_props && input_props != output_props) {
-                av_log(ost, AV_LOG_ERROR,
-                       "Subtitle encoding currently only possible from text to text "
-                       "or bitmap to bitmap");
-                return AVERROR_INVALIDDATA;
-            }
-        }
 
         break;
     default:
diff --git a/fftools/ffmpeg_mux_init.c b/fftools/ffmpeg_mux_init.c
index b73791acee..56f9d1215c 100644
--- a/fftools/ffmpeg_mux_init.c
+++ b/fftools/ffmpeg_mux_init.c
@@ -822,6 +822,13 @@ static void new_stream_subtitle(Muxer *mux, const OptionsContext *o,
 
     if (ost->enc_ctx) {
         AVCodecContext *subtitle_enc = ost->enc_ctx;
+
+        AVCodecDescriptor const *input_descriptor =
+            avcodec_descriptor_get(ost->ist->par->codec_id);
+        AVCodecDescriptor const *output_descriptor =
+            avcodec_descriptor_get(subtitle_enc->codec_id);
+        int input_props = 0, output_props = 0;
+
         char *frame_size = NULL;
 
         MATCH_PER_STREAM_OPT(frame_sizes, str, frame_size, mux->fc, st);
@@ -829,6 +836,16 @@ static void new_stream_subtitle(Muxer *mux, const OptionsContext *o,
             av_log(ost, AV_LOG_FATAL, "Invalid frame size: %s.\n", frame_size);
             exit_program(1);
         }
+        if (input_descriptor)
+            input_props = input_descriptor->props & (AV_CODEC_PROP_TEXT_SUB | AV_CODEC_PROP_BITMAP_SUB);
+        if (output_descriptor)
+            output_props = output_descriptor->props & (AV_CODEC_PROP_TEXT_SUB | AV_CODEC_PROP_BITMAP_SUB);
+        if (input_props && output_props && input_props != output_props) {
+            av_log(ost, AV_LOG_ERROR,
+                   "Subtitle encoding currently only possible from text to text "
+                   "or bitmap to bitmap\n");
+            exit_program(1);
+        }
     }
 }