diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c b/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c
index 11853e90b64972e176bb92f47fcb86429505aa2e..3f34cfb66a85f2742d368854ab5a4bf666a766f3 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c
@@ -1632,6 +1632,9 @@ static u64 hist_field_var_ref(struct hist_field *hist_field,
 	struct hist_elt_data *elt_data;
 	u64 var_val = 0;
 
+	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!elt))
+		return var_val;
+
 	elt_data = elt->private_data;
 	var_val = elt_data->var_ref_vals[hist_field->var_ref_idx];