diff --git a/lib/vsprintf.c b/lib/vsprintf.c
index 226f4eb3e5..5f7a5f17dc 100644
--- a/lib/vsprintf.c
+++ b/lib/vsprintf.c
@@ -300,8 +300,9 @@ static char *device_path_string(char *buf, char *end, void *dp, int field_width,
 {
 	u16 *str;
 
+	/* If dp == NULL output the string '<NULL>' */
 	if (!dp)
-		return "<NULL>";
+		return string16(buf, end, dp, field_width, precision, flags);
 
 	str = efi_dp_str((struct efi_device_path *)dp);
 	if (!str)
diff --git a/test/print_ut.c b/test/print_ut.c
index 1aa68be7a9..d8e9da8fa8 100644
--- a/test/print_ut.c
+++ b/test/print_ut.c
@@ -44,6 +44,10 @@ static void efi_ut_print(void)
 
 	snprintf(str, sizeof(str), "_%pD_", buf);
 	assert(!strcmp("_/SD(3)_", str));
+
+	/* NULL device path */
+	snprintf(str, sizeof(str), "_%pD_", NULL);
+	assert(!strcmp("_<NULL>_", str));
 #endif
 }