diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/sof-audio.c b/sound/soc/sof/sof-audio.c
index 275b1ae453062a80c6f9d65fb20f4033cdebfb6c..865c367eb2f2bfa3067444d570cff0d9cc989865 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sof/sof-audio.c
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/sof-audio.c
@@ -327,7 +327,8 @@ sof_prepare_widgets_in_path(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev, struct snd_soc_dapm_widget
 			p->walking = false;
 			if (ret < 0) {
 				/* unprepare the source widget */
-				if (widget_ops[widget->id].ipc_unprepare && swidget->prepared) {
+				if (widget_ops[widget->id].ipc_unprepare &&
+				    swidget && swidget->prepared) {
 					widget_ops[widget->id].ipc_unprepare(swidget);
 					swidget->prepared = false;
 				}