diff --git a/libobs/obs-source.c b/libobs/obs-source.c
index 693390027..127245eeb 100644
--- a/libobs/obs-source.c
+++ b/libobs/obs-source.c
@@ -2660,7 +2660,7 @@ static inline bool can_bypass(obs_source_t *target, obs_source_t *parent,
 		((parent_flags & OBS_SOURCE_ASYNC) == 0);
 }
 
-void obs_source_process_filter_begin(obs_source_t *filter,
+bool obs_source_process_filter_begin(obs_source_t *filter,
 		enum gs_color_format format,
 		enum obs_allow_direct_render allow_direct)
 {
@@ -2669,7 +2669,7 @@ void obs_source_process_filter_begin(obs_source_t *filter,
 	int          cx, cy;
 
 	if (!obs_ptr_valid(filter, "obs_source_process_filter_begin"))
-		return;
+		return false;
 
 	target       = obs_filter_get_target(filter);
 	parent       = obs_filter_get_parent(filter);
@@ -2677,12 +2677,12 @@ void obs_source_process_filter_begin(obs_source_t *filter,
 	if (!target) {
 		blog(LOG_INFO, "filter '%s' being processed with no target!",
 				filter->context.name);
-		return;
+		return false;
 	}
 	if (!parent) {
 		blog(LOG_INFO, "filter '%s' being processed with no parent!",
 				filter->context.name);
-		return;
+		return false;
 	}
 
 	target_flags = target->info.output_flags;
@@ -2697,12 +2697,12 @@ void obs_source_process_filter_begin(obs_source_t *filter,
 	 * using the filter effect instead of rendering to texture to reduce
 	 * the total number of passes */
 	if (can_bypass(target, parent, parent_flags, allow_direct)) {
-		return;
+		return true;
 	}
 
 	if (!cx || !cy) {
 		obs_source_skip_video_filter(filter);
-		return;
+		return false;
 	}
 
 	if (!filter->filter_texrender)
@@ -2730,6 +2730,7 @@ void obs_source_process_filter_begin(obs_source_t *filter,
 	}
 
 	gs_blend_state_pop();
+	return true;
 }
 
 void obs_source_process_filter_tech_end(obs_source_t *filter, gs_effect_t *effect,
diff --git a/libobs/obs.h b/libobs/obs.h
index 06e748af6..bc2d99532 100644
--- a/libobs/obs.h
+++ b/libobs/obs.h
@@ -968,8 +968,11 @@ EXPORT void obs_source_release_frame(obs_source_t *source,
  *
  * After calling this, set your parameters for the effect, then call
  * obs_source_process_filter_end to draw the filter.
+ *
+ * Returns true if filtering should continue, false if the filter is bypassed
+ * for whatever reason.
  */
-EXPORT void obs_source_process_filter_begin(obs_source_t *filter,
+EXPORT bool obs_source_process_filter_begin(obs_source_t *filter,
 		enum gs_color_format format,
 		enum obs_allow_direct_render allow_direct);
 
diff --git a/plugins/obs-filters/chroma-key-filter.c b/plugins/obs-filters/chroma-key-filter.c
index d00725d30..728135e45 100644
--- a/plugins/obs-filters/chroma-key-filter.c
+++ b/plugins/obs-filters/chroma-key-filter.c
@@ -194,8 +194,9 @@ static void chroma_key_render(void *data, gs_effect_t *effect)
 	uint32_t height = obs_source_get_base_height(target);
 	struct vec2 pixel_size;
 
-	obs_source_process_filter_begin(filter->context, GS_RGBA,
-			OBS_ALLOW_DIRECT_RENDERING);
+	if (!obs_source_process_filter_begin(filter->context, GS_RGBA,
+				OBS_ALLOW_DIRECT_RENDERING))
+		return;
 
 	vec2_set(&pixel_size, 1.0f / (float)width, 1.0f / (float)height);
 
diff --git a/plugins/obs-filters/color-filter.c b/plugins/obs-filters/color-filter.c
index f31b5c1b6..8238a59f2 100644
--- a/plugins/obs-filters/color-filter.c
+++ b/plugins/obs-filters/color-filter.c
@@ -119,8 +119,9 @@ static void color_filter_render(void *data, gs_effect_t *effect)
 {
 	struct color_filter_data *filter = data;
 
-	obs_source_process_filter_begin(filter->context, GS_RGBA,
-			OBS_ALLOW_DIRECT_RENDERING);
+	if (!obs_source_process_filter_begin(filter->context, GS_RGBA,
+				OBS_ALLOW_DIRECT_RENDERING))
+		return;
 
 	gs_effect_set_vec4(filter->color_param, &filter->color);
 	gs_effect_set_float(filter->contrast_param, filter->contrast);
diff --git a/plugins/obs-filters/color-key-filter.c b/plugins/obs-filters/color-key-filter.c
index b6e4befdd..1b1c310e6 100644
--- a/plugins/obs-filters/color-key-filter.c
+++ b/plugins/obs-filters/color-key-filter.c
@@ -166,8 +166,9 @@ static void color_key_render(void *data, gs_effect_t *effect)
 {
 	struct color_key_filter_data *filter = data;
 
-	obs_source_process_filter_begin(filter->context, GS_RGBA,
-			OBS_ALLOW_DIRECT_RENDERING);
+	if (!obs_source_process_filter_begin(filter->context, GS_RGBA,
+				OBS_ALLOW_DIRECT_RENDERING))
+		return;
 
 	gs_effect_set_vec4(filter->color_param, &filter->color);
 	gs_effect_set_float(filter->contrast_param, filter->contrast);
diff --git a/plugins/obs-filters/crop-filter.c b/plugins/obs-filters/crop-filter.c
index b97435dd7..11070fa05 100644
--- a/plugins/obs-filters/crop-filter.c
+++ b/plugins/obs-filters/crop-filter.c
@@ -193,8 +193,9 @@ static void crop_filter_render(void *data, gs_effect_t *effect)
 {
 	struct crop_filter_data *filter = data;
 
-	obs_source_process_filter_begin(filter->context, GS_RGBA,
-			OBS_NO_DIRECT_RENDERING);
+	if (!obs_source_process_filter_begin(filter->context, GS_RGBA,
+				OBS_NO_DIRECT_RENDERING))
+		return;
 
 	gs_effect_set_vec2(filter->param_mul, &filter->mul_val);
 	gs_effect_set_vec2(filter->param_add, &filter->add_val);
diff --git a/plugins/obs-filters/mask-filter.c b/plugins/obs-filters/mask-filter.c
index 3757b3d73..ae6e5d13a 100644
--- a/plugins/obs-filters/mask-filter.c
+++ b/plugins/obs-filters/mask-filter.c
@@ -210,8 +210,9 @@ static void mask_filter_render(void *data, gs_effect_t *effect)
 		vec2_div(&add_val, &add_val, &mask_size);
 	}
 
-	obs_source_process_filter_begin(filter->context, GS_RGBA,
-			OBS_ALLOW_DIRECT_RENDERING);
+	if (!obs_source_process_filter_begin(filter->context, GS_RGBA,
+				OBS_ALLOW_DIRECT_RENDERING))
+		return;
 
 	param = gs_effect_get_param_by_name(filter->effect, "target");
 	gs_effect_set_texture(param, filter->target);
diff --git a/plugins/obs-filters/scroll-filter.c b/plugins/obs-filters/scroll-filter.c
index a6710f513..fa7e40ab5 100644
--- a/plugins/obs-filters/scroll-filter.c
+++ b/plugins/obs-filters/scroll-filter.c
@@ -178,8 +178,9 @@ static void scroll_filter_render(void *data, gs_effect_t *effect)
 			(float)cx / (float)base_cx,
 			(float)cy / (float)base_cy);
 
-	obs_source_process_filter_begin(filter->context, GS_RGBA,
-			OBS_NO_DIRECT_RENDERING);
+	if (!obs_source_process_filter_begin(filter->context, GS_RGBA,
+				OBS_NO_DIRECT_RENDERING))
+		return;
 
 	gs_effect_set_vec2(filter->param_add, &filter->offset);
 	gs_effect_set_vec2(filter->param_mul, &mul_val);
diff --git a/plugins/obs-filters/sharpness-filter.c b/plugins/obs-filters/sharpness-filter.c
index fe5c441ff..0e7a79568 100644
--- a/plugins/obs-filters/sharpness-filter.c
+++ b/plugins/obs-filters/sharpness-filter.c
@@ -77,11 +77,10 @@ static void *sharpness_create(obs_data_t *settings, obs_source_t *context)
 static void sharpness_render(void *data, gs_effect_t *effect)
 {
 	struct sharpness_data *filter = data;
-	if (!filter) return;
-	if (!obs_filter_get_target(filter->context)) return;
 
-	obs_source_process_filter_begin(filter->context, GS_RGBA,
-		OBS_ALLOW_DIRECT_RENDERING);
+	if (!obs_source_process_filter_begin(filter->context, GS_RGBA,
+				OBS_ALLOW_DIRECT_RENDERING))
+		return;
 
 	filter->texwidth =(float)obs_source_get_width(
 			obs_filter_get_target(filter->context));
diff --git a/test/test-input/test-filter.c b/test/test-input/test-filter.c
index 264a7172d..f8509cfb8 100644
--- a/test/test-input/test-filter.c
+++ b/test/test-input/test-filter.c
@@ -51,8 +51,10 @@ static void filter_render(void *data, gs_effect_t *effect)
 {
 	struct test_filter *tf = data;
 
-	obs_source_process_filter_begin(tf->source, GS_RGBA,
-			OBS_ALLOW_DIRECT_RENDERING);
+	if (!obs_source_process_filter_begin(tf->source, GS_RGBA,
+				OBS_ALLOW_DIRECT_RENDERING))
+		return;
+
 	obs_source_process_filter_end(tf->source, tf->whatever, 0, 0);
 
 	UNUSED_PARAMETER(effect);