diff --git a/include/linux/rhashtable.h b/include/linux/rhashtable.h
index 9cc18d304..cb85ffe7b 100644
--- a/include/linux/rhashtable.h
+++ b/include/linux/rhashtable.h
@@ -373,7 +373,11 @@ static inline struct rhash_head *__rht_ptr(
 static inline struct rhash_head *rht_ptr_rcu(
 	struct rhash_lock_head __rcu *const *bkt)
 {
-	return __rht_ptr(rcu_dereference(*bkt), bkt);
+	struct rhash_lock_head *ptr = rcu_dereference(*bkt);
+	if (!ptr) {
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	return __rht_ptr(ptr, bkt);
 }
 
 static inline struct rhash_head *rht_ptr(