diff --git a/src/js/media/media.js b/src/js/media/media.js
index 34605bc508..0a7cd59ad5 100644
--- a/src/js/media/media.js
+++ b/src/js/media/media.js
@@ -496,6 +496,16 @@ vjs.MediaTechController.withSourceHandlers = function(Tech){
   Tech.prototype.setSource = function(source){
     var sh = Tech.selectSourceHandler(source);
 
+    if (!sh) {
+      // Fall back to a native source hander when unsupported sources are
+      // deliberately set
+      if (Tech.nativeSourceHandler) {
+        sh = Tech.nativeSourceHandler;
+      } else {
+        vjs.log.error('No source hander found for the current source.');
+      }
+    }
+
     // Dispose any existing source handler
     this.disposeSourceHandler();
     this.off('dispose', this.disposeSourceHandler);
diff --git a/test/unit/media.js b/test/unit/media.js
index e4a44045cf..bdf1da641a 100644
--- a/test/unit/media.js
+++ b/test/unit/media.js
@@ -229,3 +229,25 @@ test('should add the source hanlder interface to a tech', function(){
   tech.dispose();
   ok(disposeCalled, 'the handler dispose method was called when the tech was disposed');
 });
+
+test('should handle unsupported sources with the source hanlder API', function(){
+  var mockPlayer = {
+    off: this.noop,
+    trigger: this.noop
+  };
+
+  // Define a new tech class
+  var Tech = videojs.MediaTechController.extend();
+  // Extend Tech with source handlers
+  vjs.MediaTechController.withSourceHandlers(Tech);
+  // Create an instance of Tech
+  var tech = new Tech(mockPlayer);
+
+  var usedNative;
+  Tech.nativeSourceHandler = {
+    handleSource: function(){ usedNative = true; }
+  };
+
+  tech.setSource('');
+  ok(usedNative, 'native source handler was used when an unsupported source was set');
+});
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