diff --git a/src/mac/carbon/mediactrl.cpp b/src/mac/carbon/mediactrl.cpp
index 5b6aef7f1f..d41c30cf9b 100644
--- a/src/mac/carbon/mediactrl.cpp
+++ b/src/mac/carbon/mediactrl.cpp
@@ -298,6 +298,12 @@ bool wxQTMediaBackend::Load(const wxString& fileName)
     short movieResFile;
     FSSpec sfFile;
     
+    //FIXME:wxMacFilename2FSSpec crashes on empty string - 
+    //does it crash on other strings too and should this
+    //"fix" be put in the carbon wxSound?
+    if (fileName.empty())
+        return false;
+    
     wxMacFilename2FSSpec( fileName , &sfFile );
     
     if (OpenMovieFile (&sfFile, &movieResFile, fsRdPerm) != noErr)