diff --git a/webrtc/modules/audio_device/android/java/src/org/webrtc/voiceengine/WebRtcAudioRecord.java b/webrtc/modules/audio_device/android/java/src/org/webrtc/voiceengine/WebRtcAudioRecord.java
index 02ebe5b7d9..ac60be201a 100644
--- a/webrtc/modules/audio_device/android/java/src/org/webrtc/voiceengine/WebRtcAudioRecord.java
+++ b/webrtc/modules/audio_device/android/java/src/org/webrtc/voiceengine/WebRtcAudioRecord.java
@@ -140,6 +140,11 @@ class  WebRtcAudioRecord {
   private int InitRecording(int sampleRate, int channels) {
     Logd("InitRecording(sampleRate=" + sampleRate + ", channels=" +
         channels + ")");
+    if (!WebRtcAudioUtils.hasPermission(
+        context, android.Manifest.permission.RECORD_AUDIO)) {
+      Loge("RECORD_AUDIO permission is missing");
+      return -1;
+    }
     final int bytesPerFrame = channels * (BITS_PER_SAMPLE / 8);
     final int framesPerBuffer = sampleRate / BUFFERS_PER_SECOND;
     byteBuffer = byteBuffer.allocateDirect(bytesPerFrame * framesPerBuffer);
diff --git a/webrtc/modules/audio_device/android/java/src/org/webrtc/voiceengine/WebRtcAudioUtils.java b/webrtc/modules/audio_device/android/java/src/org/webrtc/voiceengine/WebRtcAudioUtils.java
index 8daa6709cf..0f666a0faa 100644
--- a/webrtc/modules/audio_device/android/java/src/org/webrtc/voiceengine/WebRtcAudioUtils.java
+++ b/webrtc/modules/audio_device/android/java/src/org/webrtc/voiceengine/WebRtcAudioUtils.java
@@ -10,11 +10,14 @@
 
 package org.webrtc.voiceengine;
 
+import android.content.Context;
+import android.content.pm.PackageManager;
 import android.media.audiofx.AcousticEchoCanceler;
 import android.media.audiofx.AudioEffect;
 import android.media.audiofx.AudioEffect.Descriptor;
 import android.media.AudioManager;
 import android.os.Build;
+import android.os.Process;
 import android.util.Log;
 
 import java.lang.Thread;
@@ -96,4 +99,12 @@ public final class WebRtcAudioUtils {
         + "Model: " + Build.MODEL + ", "
         + "Product: " + Build.PRODUCT);
   }
+
+  // Checks if the process has as specified permission or not.
+  public static boolean hasPermission(Context context, String permission) {
+    return context.checkPermission(
+        permission,
+        Process.myPid(),
+        Process.myUid()) == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED;
+    }
 }