diff --git a/drivers/net/macvlan.c b/drivers/net/macvlan.c
index e7289d67268f..0482adc9916b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/macvlan.c
+++ b/drivers/net/macvlan.c
@@ -1704,7 +1704,7 @@ static int macvlan_device_event(struct notifier_block *unused,
 						struct macvlan_dev,
 						list);
 
-		if (macvlan_sync_address(vlan->dev, dev->dev_addr))
+		if (vlan && macvlan_sync_address(vlan->dev, dev->dev_addr))
 			return NOTIFY_BAD;
 
 		break;