diff --git a/src/zm_videostore.cpp b/src/zm_videostore.cpp
index f5826cc2c0..b55d39a0dc 100644
--- a/src/zm_videostore.cpp
+++ b/src/zm_videostore.cpp
@@ -148,7 +148,12 @@ bool VideoStore::open() {
   } else {
     const AVDictionaryEntry *entry = av_dict_get(opts, "reorder_queue_size", nullptr, AV_DICT_MATCH_CASE);
     if (entry) {
-      reorder_queue_size = std::stoul(entry->value);
+      if (monitor->GetOptVideoWriter() == Monitor::ENCODE) {
+        Debug(1, "reorder_queue_size ignored for non-passthrough");
+      } else {
+        reorder_queue_size = std::stoul(entry->value);
+        Debug(1, "reorder_queue_size set to %zu", reorder_queue_size);
+      }
       // remove it to prevent complaining later.
       av_dict_set(&opts, "reorder_queue_size", nullptr, AV_DICT_MATCH_CASE);
     } else if (monitor->has_out_of_order_packets()
@@ -157,8 +162,8 @@ bool VideoStore::open() {
         and monitor->GetOptVideoWriter() == Monitor::PASSTHROUGH
         ) {
       reorder_queue_size = 2*monitor->get_max_keyframe_interval();
+      Debug(1, "reorder_queue_size set to %zu", reorder_queue_size);
     }
-    Debug(1, "reorder_queue_size set to %zu", reorder_queue_size);
   }
 
   oc->metadata = pmetadata;