diff --git a/net/sched/sch_generic.c b/net/sched/sch_generic.c
index 6ced7c89c141..aa74aa42b5d7 100644
--- a/net/sched/sch_generic.c
+++ b/net/sched/sch_generic.c
@@ -603,8 +603,14 @@ struct Qdisc *qdisc_alloc(struct netdev_queue *dev_queue,
 	struct Qdisc *sch;
 	unsigned int size = QDISC_ALIGN(sizeof(*sch)) + ops->priv_size;
 	int err = -ENOBUFS;
-	struct net_device *dev = dev_queue->dev;
+	struct net_device *dev;
 
+	if (!dev_queue) {
+		err = -EINVAL;
+		goto errout;
+	}
+
+	dev = dev_queue->dev;
 	p = kzalloc_node(size, GFP_KERNEL,
 			 netdev_queue_numa_node_read(dev_queue));