diff --git a/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_state.c b/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_state.c
index 4dad4dd0ceb6..33861c12d6bb 100644
--- a/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_state.c
+++ b/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_state.c
@@ -876,7 +876,7 @@ is_valid_state(struct drbd_device *device, union drbd_state ns)
 		  ns.disk == D_OUTDATED)
 		rv = SS_CONNECTED_OUTDATES;
 
-	else if ((ns.conn == C_VERIFY_S || ns.conn == C_VERIFY_T) &&
+	else if (nc && (ns.conn == C_VERIFY_S || ns.conn == C_VERIFY_T) &&
 		 (nc->verify_alg[0] == 0))
 		rv = SS_NO_VERIFY_ALG;