diff --git a/CUERipper/frmCUERipper.cs b/CUERipper/frmCUERipper.cs
index 0af78cb..cc59d3e 100644
--- a/CUERipper/frmCUERipper.cs
+++ b/CUERipper/frmCUERipper.cs
@@ -996,8 +996,8 @@ namespace CUERipper
 
         private void resetEncoderModes(CUEToolsUDC encoder)
         {
-            if (encoder.settings != null) encoder.settings.PCM = AudioPCMConfig.RedBook;
-            buttonEncoderSettings.Enabled = encoder.settings != null && encoder.settings.HasBrowsableAttributes();
+            encoder.settings.PCM = AudioPCMConfig.RedBook;
+            buttonEncoderSettings.Enabled = encoder.settings.HasBrowsableAttributes();
             string[] modes = encoder.SupportedModes;
             if (modes == null || modes.Length < 2)
             {
@@ -1008,7 +1008,7 @@ namespace CUERipper
             }
             else
             {
-                if (encoder.EncoderModeIndex == -1 && encoder.settings != null)
+                if (encoder.EncoderModeIndex == -1)
                 {
                     string defaultMode;
                     encoder.settings.GetSupportedModes(out defaultMode);
@@ -1592,8 +1592,6 @@ namespace CUERipper
             CUEToolsUDC encoder = bnComboBoxEncoder.SelectedItem as CUEToolsUDC;
             if (encoder == null)
                 return;
-            if (encoder.settings == null)
-                return;
             var form = new Options(encoder.settings);
             form.ShowDialog(this);
             resetEncoderModes(encoder);
diff --git a/CUETools.Processor/AudioReadWrite.cs b/CUETools.Processor/AudioReadWrite.cs
index 7062afb..4b31c3c 100644
--- a/CUETools.Processor/AudioReadWrite.cs
+++ b/CUETools.Processor/AudioReadWrite.cs
@@ -90,15 +90,10 @@ namespace CUETools.Processor
             settings.PCM = pcm;
             settings.Padding = padding;
             settings.Validate();
-			if (encoder.type != null)
-			{
-                object o = Activator.CreateInstance(encoder.type, path, settings);
-				if (o == null || !(o is IAudioDest))
-					throw new Exception("Unsupported audio type: " + path + ": " + encoder.type.FullName);
-				dest = o as IAudioDest;
-			}
-			else
-				throw new Exception("Unsupported audio type: " + path);
+            object o = Activator.CreateInstance(encoder.type, path, settings);
+			if (o == null || !(o is IAudioDest))
+				throw new Exception("Unsupported audio type: " + path + ": " + encoder.type.FullName);
+			dest = o as IAudioDest;
             dest.FinalSampleCount = finalSampleCount;
 			return dest;
 		}
diff --git a/CUETools/frmCUETools.cs b/CUETools/frmCUETools.cs
index a6dd309..885e6fb 100644
--- a/CUETools/frmCUETools.cs
+++ b/CUETools/frmCUETools.cs
@@ -2454,7 +2454,7 @@ namespace JDP
             else
                 SelectedOutputAudioFmt.encoderLossy = encoder;
             // TODO: something cleverer than this hack...
-            if (encoder.settings != null) encoder.settings.PCM = AudioPCMConfig.RedBook;
+            encoder.settings.PCM = AudioPCMConfig.RedBook;
             string[] modes = encoder.SupportedModes;
             if (modes == null || modes.Length < 2)
             {
@@ -2465,7 +2465,7 @@ namespace JDP
             }
             else
             {
-                if (encoder.EncoderModeIndex == -1 && encoder.settings != null)
+                if (encoder.EncoderModeIndex == -1)
                 {
                     string defaultMode;
                     encoder.settings.GetSupportedModes(out defaultMode);