diff --git a/src/lib_ccx/ccx_encoders_common.c b/src/lib_ccx/ccx_encoders_common.c
index 749d2e75f..10f408dc6 100644
--- a/src/lib_ccx/ccx_encoders_common.c
+++ b/src/lib_ccx/ccx_encoders_common.c
@@ -1361,20 +1361,36 @@ void switch_output_file(struct lib_ccx_ctx *ctx, struct encoder_ctx *enc_ctx, in
 	if (enc_ctx->out->filename != NULL)
 	{ // Close and release the previous handle
 		free(enc_ctx->out->filename);
+		enc_ctx->out->filename = NULL;
 		close(enc_ctx->out->fh);
+		enc_ctx->out->fh = -1;
 	}
+
 	const char *ext = get_file_extension(ctx->write_format);
 	char suffix[32];
 	snprintf(suffix, sizeof(suffix), "_%d", track_id);
+
 	char *basename = get_basename(enc_ctx->out->original_filename);
 	if (basename != NULL)
 	{
 		enc_ctx->out->filename = create_outfilename(basename, suffix, ext);
-		enc_ctx->out->fh = open(enc_ctx->out->filename, O_RDWR | O_CREAT | O_TRUNC | O_BINARY, S_IREAD | S_IWRITE);
+		if (enc_ctx->out->filename != NULL)
+		{
+			enc_ctx->out->fh = open(enc_ctx->out->filename, O_RDWR | O_CREAT | O_TRUNC | O_BINARY, S_IREAD | S_IWRITE);
+			if (enc_ctx->out->fh < 0)
+			{
+				// Clean up if the file descriptor failed to open
+				free(enc_ctx->out->filename);
+				enc_ctx->out->filename = NULL;
+			}
+		}
 		free(basename);
 	}
 
-	write_subtitle_file_header(enc_ctx, enc_ctx->out);
+	if (enc_ctx->out->filename != NULL && enc_ctx->out->fh >= 0)
+	{
+		write_subtitle_file_header(enc_ctx, enc_ctx->out);
+	}
 
 	// Reset counters as we switch output file.
 	enc_ctx->cea_708_counter = 0;