diff --git a/sound/soc/soc-core.c b/sound/soc/soc-core.c
index 9b79c2199781a7fc171a2bb1eac02989e2f1b3b5..52b2e04cc5e27bbd33a177a184795224027ee23b 100644
--- a/sound/soc/soc-core.c
+++ b/sound/soc/soc-core.c
@@ -590,9 +590,17 @@ struct snd_soc_component *snd_soc_rtdcom_lookup(struct snd_soc_pcm_runtime *rtd,
 {
 	struct snd_soc_rtdcom_list *rtdcom;
 
+	if (!driver_name)
+		return NULL;
+
 	for_each_rtdcom(rtd, rtdcom) {
-		if ((rtdcom->component->driver->name == driver_name) ||
-		    strcmp(rtdcom->component->driver->name, driver_name) == 0)
+		const char *component_name = rtdcom->component->driver->name;
+
+		if (!component_name)
+			continue;
+
+		if ((component_name == driver_name) ||
+		    strcmp(component_name, driver_name) == 0)
 			return rtdcom->component;
 	}