diff --git a/drivers/acpi/acpica/nswalk.c b/drivers/acpi/acpica/nswalk.c
index 915c2433463d7272464f0d3e69f2392a4d628996..e7c30ce06e189cd6babe398a600c635af758c65a 100644
--- a/drivers/acpi/acpica/nswalk.c
+++ b/drivers/acpi/acpica/nswalk.c
@@ -169,6 +169,9 @@ acpi_ns_walk_namespace(acpi_object_type type,
 
 	if (start_node == ACPI_ROOT_OBJECT) {
 		start_node = acpi_gbl_root_node;
+		if (!start_node) {
+			return_ACPI_STATUS(AE_NO_NAMESPACE);
+		}
 	}
 
 	/* Null child means "get first node" */