diff --git a/drivers/thunderbolt/ctl.c b/drivers/thunderbolt/ctl.c
index 889a32dd21e7..f8290a577b2b 100644
--- a/drivers/thunderbolt/ctl.c
+++ b/drivers/thunderbolt/ctl.c
@@ -520,6 +520,10 @@ struct tb_ctl *tb_ctl_alloc(struct tb_nhi *nhi, hotplug_cb cb, void *cb_data)
 void tb_ctl_free(struct tb_ctl *ctl)
 {
 	int i;
+
+	if (!ctl)
+		return;
+
 	if (ctl->rx)
 		ring_free(ctl->rx);
 	if (ctl->tx)