diff --git a/drivers/base/swnode.c b/drivers/base/swnode.c
index 306bb93287af..28b6eb0e5187 100644
--- a/drivers/base/swnode.c
+++ b/drivers/base/swnode.c
@@ -487,7 +487,7 @@ software_node_get_next_child(const struct fwnode_handle *fwnode,
 	struct software_node *p = to_software_node(fwnode);
 	struct software_node *c = to_software_node(child);
 
-	if (list_empty(&p->children) ||
+	if (!p || list_empty(&p->children) ||
 	    (c && list_is_last(&c->entry, &p->children)))
 		return NULL;