diff --git a/src/control/playlist.c b/src/control/playlist.c
index 4d453af250842b2a806ea74e85c73df829ac1d6a..d90df67825d27e2edbd0f899d0853ce46589a59d 100644
--- a/src/control/playlist.c
+++ b/src/control/playlist.c
@@ -225,9 +225,11 @@ libvlc_media_instance_t * libvlc_playlist_get_media_instance(
                             p_instance, PL->p_input, p_e );
     }
     else
+    {
         /* no active input */
         p_mi = NULL;
-
+        libvlc_exception_raise( p_e, "No active input" );
+    }
     vlc_mutex_unlock( &PL->object_lock );
 
     return p_mi;