diff --git a/modules/highgui/src/cap.cpp b/modules/highgui/src/cap.cpp
index a76cb428eae0..ac3d658dc76e 100644
--- a/modules/highgui/src/cap.cpp
+++ b/modules/highgui/src/cap.cpp
@@ -490,14 +490,14 @@ VideoCapture::~VideoCapture()
 
 bool VideoCapture::open(const String& filename)
 {
-    if (!isOpened())
+    if (isOpened()) release();
     cap = cvCreateFileCapture(filename.c_str());
     return isOpened();
 }
 
 bool VideoCapture::open(int device)
 {
-    if (!isOpened())
+    if (isOpened()) release();
     cap = cvCreateCameraCapture(device);
     return isOpened();
 }