diff --git a/net/ipv6/ipv6_sockglue.c b/net/ipv6/ipv6_sockglue.c
index 03ecbfeab849..4c2a9a2e9053 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/ipv6_sockglue.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/ipv6_sockglue.c
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ int ipv6_setsockopt(struct sock *sk, int level, int optname,
 		}
 
 		/* routing header option needs extra check */
-		if (optname == IPV6_RTHDR && opt->srcrt) {
+		if (optname == IPV6_RTHDR && opt && opt->srcrt) {
 			struct ipv6_rt_hdr *rthdr = opt->srcrt;
 			if (rthdr->type)
 				goto sticky_done;