diff --git a/drivers/nvme/host/core.c b/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
index e2dcd14012b19669f94c4eea07bb047c7df2e76a..d6ca4598c0279d6871c163270250b229fb4ae8af 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
@@ -2208,7 +2208,7 @@ static int nvme_init_subsystem(struct nvme_ctrl *ctrl, struct nvme_id_ctrl *id)
 		 * Verify that the subsystem actually supports multiple
 		 * controllers, else bail out.
 		 */
-		if (!ctrl->opts->discovery_nqn &&
+		if (!(ctrl->opts && ctrl->opts->discovery_nqn) &&
 		    nvme_active_ctrls(found) && !(id->cmic & (1 << 1))) {
 			dev_err(ctrl->device,
 				"ignoring ctrl due to duplicate subnqn (%s).\n",