diff --git a/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaSession.java b/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaSession.java
index 021a66d186..21b1cb9ce1 100644
--- a/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaSession.java
+++ b/libraries/session/src/main/java/androidx/media3/session/MediaSession.java
@@ -1584,7 +1584,7 @@ public class MediaSession {
 
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
     public BuilderT setBitmapLoader(BitmapLoader bitmapLoader) {
-      this.bitmapLoader = bitmapLoader;
+      this.bitmapLoader = checkNotNull(bitmapLoader);
       return (BuilderT) this;
     }