diff --git a/packages/camera/android/src/main/java/io/flutter/plugins/camera/Camera.java b/packages/camera/android/src/main/java/io/flutter/plugins/camera/Camera.java
index 0fcda278d836..814e5f025d9d 100644
--- a/packages/camera/android/src/main/java/io/flutter/plugins/camera/Camera.java
+++ b/packages/camera/android/src/main/java/io/flutter/plugins/camera/Camera.java
@@ -421,7 +421,8 @@ public void resumeVideoRecording(@NonNull final Result result) {
   }
 
   public void startPreview() throws CameraAccessException {
-    createCaptureSession(CameraDevice.TEMPLATE_PREVIEW, pictureImageReader.getSurface());
+    if (pictureImageReader != null)
+	createCaptureSession(CameraDevice.TEMPLATE_PREVIEW, pictureImageReader.getSurface());
   }
 
   public void startPreviewWithImageStream(EventChannel imageStreamChannel)