diff --git a/youtube_dl/postprocessor/ffmpeg.py b/youtube_dl/postprocessor/ffmpeg.py
index 55adf9685..0b60ac7e7 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/postprocessor/ffmpeg.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/postprocessor/ffmpeg.py
@@ -116,6 +116,10 @@ class FFmpegPostProcessor(PostProcessor):
     def executable(self):
         return self._paths[self.basename]
 
+    @property
+    def probe_available(self):
+        return self.probe_basename is not None
+
     @property
     def probe_executable(self):
         return self._paths[self.probe_basename]
@@ -168,7 +172,7 @@ class FFmpegExtractAudioPP(FFmpegPostProcessor):
 
     def get_audio_codec(self, path):
 
-        if not self.probe_executable:
+        if not self.probe_available:
             raise PostProcessingError('ffprobe or avprobe not found. Please install one.')
         try:
             cmd = [