diff --git a/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/SingleSampleMediaSource.java b/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/SingleSampleMediaSource.java
index db1414942f..0a987ad86d 100644
--- a/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/SingleSampleMediaSource.java
+++ b/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/SingleSampleMediaSource.java
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@ public final class SingleSampleMediaSource extends BaseMediaSource {
 
     private LoadErrorHandlingPolicy loadErrorHandlingPolicy;
     private boolean treatLoadErrorsAsEndOfStream;
-    private boolean isCreateCalled;
     @Nullable private Object tag;
 
     /**
@@ -81,8 +80,7 @@ public final class SingleSampleMediaSource extends BaseMediaSource {
      * @return This factory, for convenience.
      * @throws IllegalStateException If one of the {@code create} methods has already been called.
      */
-    public Factory setTag(Object tag) {
-      Assertions.checkState(!isCreateCalled);
+    public Factory setTag(@Nullable Object tag) {
       this.tag = tag;
       return this;
     }
@@ -115,9 +113,12 @@ public final class SingleSampleMediaSource extends BaseMediaSource {
      * @return This factory, for convenience.
      * @throws IllegalStateException If one of the {@code create} methods has already been called.
      */
-    public Factory setLoadErrorHandlingPolicy(LoadErrorHandlingPolicy loadErrorHandlingPolicy) {
-      Assertions.checkState(!isCreateCalled);
-      this.loadErrorHandlingPolicy = loadErrorHandlingPolicy;
+    public Factory setLoadErrorHandlingPolicy(
+        @Nullable LoadErrorHandlingPolicy loadErrorHandlingPolicy) {
+      this.loadErrorHandlingPolicy =
+          loadErrorHandlingPolicy != null
+              ? loadErrorHandlingPolicy
+              : new DefaultLoadErrorHandlingPolicy();
       return this;
     }
 
@@ -132,7 +133,6 @@ public final class SingleSampleMediaSource extends BaseMediaSource {
      * @throws IllegalStateException If one of the {@code create} methods has already been called.
      */
     public Factory setTreatLoadErrorsAsEndOfStream(boolean treatLoadErrorsAsEndOfStream) {
-      Assertions.checkState(!isCreateCalled);
       this.treatLoadErrorsAsEndOfStream = treatLoadErrorsAsEndOfStream;
       return this;
     }
@@ -146,7 +146,6 @@ public final class SingleSampleMediaSource extends BaseMediaSource {
      * @return The new {@link SingleSampleMediaSource}.
      */
     public SingleSampleMediaSource createMediaSource(Uri uri, Format format, long durationUs) {
-      isCreateCalled = true;
       return new SingleSampleMediaSource(
           uri,
           dataSourceFactory,