diff --git a/media/codec2/components/hevc/C2SoftHevcEnc.cpp b/media/codec2/components/hevc/C2SoftHevcEnc.cpp
index 9c26c02..56e6e8a 100644
--- a/media/codec2/components/hevc/C2SoftHevcEnc.cpp
+++ b/media/codec2/components/hevc/C2SoftHevcEnc.cpp
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@
                 needsUpdate = true;
             }
         }
-        if (!found) {
+        if (!found || me.v.level > LEVEL_HEVC_MAIN_5_2) {
             // We set to the highest supported level.
             me.set().level = LEVEL_HEVC_MAIN_5_2;
         }