diff --git a/lib/kobject.c b/lib/kobject.c
index 58751bb80a7c..03d4ab349fa7 100644
--- a/lib/kobject.c
+++ b/lib/kobject.c
@@ -976,7 +976,7 @@ const struct kobj_ns_type_operations *kobj_child_ns_ops(struct kobject *parent)
 {
 	const struct kobj_ns_type_operations *ops = NULL;
 
-	if (parent && parent->ktype->child_ns_type)
+	if (parent && parent->ktype && parent->ktype->child_ns_type)
 		ops = parent->ktype->child_ns_type(parent);
 
 	return ops;