diff --git a/channel.c b/channel.c
index a2ac46ff9c..952c7b6ad9 100644
--- a/channel.c
+++ b/channel.c
@@ -2472,10 +2472,6 @@ static int set_format(struct ast_channel *chan, int fmt, int *rawformat, int *fo
 	/* Make sure we only consider audio */
 	fmt &= AST_FORMAT_AUDIO_MASK;
 	
-	/* if already in the desired format nothing to do here */
-	if (*format == fmt)
-		return 0;
-
 	native = chan->nativeformats;
 	/* Find a translation path from the native format to one of the desired formats */
 	if (!direction)
@@ -2493,6 +2489,13 @@ static int set_format(struct ast_channel *chan, int fmt, int *rawformat, int *fo
 	
 	/* Now we have a good choice for both. */
 	ast_channel_lock(chan);
+
+	if ((*rawformat == native) && (*format == fmt)) {
+		/* the channel is already in these formats, so nothing to do */
+		ast_channel_unlock(chan);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
 	*rawformat = native;
 	/* User perspective is fmt */
 	*format = fmt;