diff --git a/bridges/bridge_holding.c b/bridges/bridge_holding.c
index 2fd79d09aed9331ecf7b422929c6cd836f9af4b3..0ef5601c1db6485f2f6a96cba3bf8e9e3e0d10e5 100644
--- a/bridges/bridge_holding.c
+++ b/bridges/bridge_holding.c
@@ -205,7 +205,11 @@ static void participant_entertainment_start(struct ast_bridge_channel *bridge_ch
 	switch(hc->idle_mode) {
 	case IDLE_MODE_MOH:
 		moh_class = ast_bridge_channel_get_role_option(bridge_channel, "holding_participant", "moh_class");
-		ast_moh_start(bridge_channel->chan, moh_class, NULL);
+		if (ast_moh_start(bridge_channel->chan, moh_class, NULL)) {
+			ast_log(LOG_WARNING, "Failed to start moh, starting silence generator instead\n");
+			hc->idle_mode = IDLE_MODE_SILENCE;
+			hc->silence_generator = ast_channel_start_silence_generator(bridge_channel->chan);
+		}
 		break;
 	case IDLE_MODE_RINGING:
 		ast_indicate(bridge_channel->chan, AST_CONTROL_RINGING);
diff --git a/main/channel.c b/main/channel.c
index 57523d71a454e9134465a890fe245a50f1680ddc..3f6e0eef2c94889e6201ec342fdef519331ce57f 100644
--- a/main/channel.c
+++ b/main/channel.c
@@ -7404,7 +7404,7 @@ int ast_moh_start(struct ast_channel *chan, const char *mclass, const char *inte
 
 	ast_verb(3, "Music class %s requested but no musiconhold loaded.\n", mclass ? mclass : (interpclass ? interpclass : "default"));
 
-	return 0;
+	return -1;
 }
 
 void ast_moh_stop(struct ast_channel *chan)