diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index 40c2eabad1847666aa32ba99117cde38614df44d..3cc4f4d66987177f3408ebe89560ba3a2e7c08cf 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -13889,6 +13889,7 @@ qemuDomainSnapshotPrepare(virConnectPtr conn,
      * Avoid the issues by forbidding internal snapshot with pflash completely.
      */
     if (found_internal &&
+        vm->def->os.loader &&
         vm->def->os.loader->type == VIR_DOMAIN_LOADER_TYPE_PFLASH) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_UNSUPPORTED, "%s",
                        _("internal snapshots of a VM with pflash based "