diff --git a/modules/video_coding/include/video_codec_initializer.h b/modules/video_coding/include/video_codec_initializer.h
index ee70810f62..6da5398967 100644
--- a/modules/video_coding/include/video_codec_initializer.h
+++ b/modules/video_coding/include/video_codec_initializer.h
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ class VideoCodecInitializer {
       const VideoEncoderConfig& config,
       const std::vector<VideoStream>& streams,
       VideoCodec* codec,
-      std::unique_ptr<VideoBitrateAllocator>* bitrate_allocator);
+      std::unique_ptr<VideoBitrateAllocator>* bitrate_allocator = nullptr);
 
   // Create a bitrate allocator for the specified codec.
   static std::unique_ptr<VideoBitrateAllocator> CreateBitrateAllocator(
diff --git a/modules/video_coding/video_codec_initializer.cc b/modules/video_coding/video_codec_initializer.cc
index e7125ce278..b676a95e4f 100644
--- a/modules/video_coding/video_codec_initializer.cc
+++ b/modules/video_coding/video_codec_initializer.cc
@@ -41,7 +41,9 @@ bool VideoCodecInitializer::SetupCodec(
   }
 
   *codec = VideoEncoderConfigToVideoCodec(config, streams);
-  *bitrate_allocator = CreateBitrateAllocator(*codec);
+  if (bitrate_allocator) {
+    *bitrate_allocator = CreateBitrateAllocator(*codec);
+  }
 
   return true;
 }