diff --git a/src/mod/formats/mod_shout/mod_shout.c b/src/mod/formats/mod_shout/mod_shout.c
index a99a299479..ae1ee83d38 100644
--- a/src/mod/formats/mod_shout/mod_shout.c
+++ b/src/mod/formats/mod_shout/mod_shout.c
@@ -670,6 +670,7 @@ static switch_status_t shout_file_open(switch_file_handle_t *handle, const char
 			context->stream_url = switch_core_sprintf(context->memory_pool, "http://%s", path);
 			context->prebuf = handle->prebuf;
 			launch_read_stream_thread(context);
+			switch_cond_next();
 		} else {
 			handle->seekable = 1;
 
@@ -681,8 +682,26 @@ static switch_status_t shout_file_open(switch_file_handle_t *handle, const char
 
 		}
 
+		if (handle->handler) {
+			int sanity = 1000;
+
+			while(--sanity > 0 && !switch_buffer_inuse(context->audio_buffer)) {
+				switch_yield(20000);
+			}
+
+			if (!sanity) {
+				switch_log_printf(SWITCH_CHANNEL_LOG, SWITCH_LOG_ERROR, "Error opening %s (data stream timeout)\n", path);
+				goto error;
+			}
+		}
 
 		mpg123_getformat(context->mh, &rate, &channels, &encoding);
+
+		if (!channels || !rate) {
+			switch_log_printf(SWITCH_CHANNEL_LOG, SWITCH_LOG_ERROR, "Error opening %s (invalid rate or channel count)\n", path);
+			goto error;
+		}
+
 		handle->channels = channels;
 		handle->samplerate = rate;