diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/r600/r600_state_common.c b/src/gallium/drivers/r600/r600_state_common.c
index fe17d10c201..4718286bd2b 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/r600/r600_state_common.c
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/r600/r600_state_common.c
@@ -546,7 +546,8 @@ static void r600_bind_vertex_elements(struct pipe_context *ctx, void *state)
 static void r600_delete_vertex_elements(struct pipe_context *ctx, void *state)
 {
 	struct r600_fetch_shader *shader = (struct r600_fetch_shader*)state;
-	r600_resource_reference(&shader->buffer, NULL);
+	if (shader)
+		r600_resource_reference(&shader->buffer, NULL);
 	FREE(shader);
 }