diff --git a/darkice/trunk/src/VorbisLibEncoder.cpp b/darkice/trunk/src/VorbisLibEncoder.cpp
index 2ea0565..e4a7456 100644
--- a/darkice/trunk/src/VorbisLibEncoder.cpp
+++ b/darkice/trunk/src/VorbisLibEncoder.cpp
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 #include "Exception.h"
 #include "Util.h"
 #include "VorbisLibEncoder.h"
-
+#define VORBIS_MIN_BITRATE 45
 
 /* ===================================================  local data structures */
 
@@ -79,6 +79,15 @@ VorbisLibEncoder :: init ( unsigned int     outMaxBitrate )
                          getInChannel() );
     }
 
+    if ( getOutBitrateMode() == abr || getOutBitrateMode() == cbr ) {
+        if ( getOutBitrate() < VORBIS_MIN_BITRATE ) {
+            throw Exception( __FILE__, __LINE__,
+                            "output bitrate is lower than libvorbis minimum",
+                            getOutBitrate() );
+        }
+        
+    }
+
     if ( getOutSampleRate() == getInSampleRate() ) {
         resampleRatio = 1;
         converter     = 0;