diff --git a/include/seqan3/io/sam_file/output.hpp b/include/seqan3/io/sam_file/output.hpp
index c59ab897e0..e6233ceef6 100644
--- a/include/seqan3/io/sam_file/output.hpp
+++ b/include/seqan3/io/sam_file/output.hpp
@@ -155,7 +155,8 @@ class sam_file_output
     //!\brief The destructor will write the header if it has not been written before.
     ~sam_file_output()
     {
-        if (header_has_been_written)
+        // !primary_stream indicates moved-from object
+        if (header_has_been_written || !primary_stream)
             return;
 
         assert(!format.valueless_by_exception());