diff --git a/msm/sde/sde_encoder.c b/msm/sde/sde_encoder.c
index a5303cbe9f05..0fbbb35223cb 100644
--- a/msm/sde/sde_encoder.c
+++ b/msm/sde/sde_encoder.c
@@ -4200,7 +4200,7 @@ int sde_encoder_prepare_commit(struct drm_encoder *drm_enc)
 		if (phys && phys->ops.prepare_commit)
 			phys->ops.prepare_commit(phys);
 
-		if (phys->enable_state == SDE_ENC_ERR_NEEDS_HW_RESET)
+		if (phys && phys->enable_state == SDE_ENC_ERR_NEEDS_HW_RESET)
 			ret = -ETIMEDOUT;
 
 		if (phys && phys->hw_ctl) {