diff --git a/cJSON.c b/cJSON.c
index 56cc85b24d39d925b0348632fb8804885b60abb8..62d7bf23ea212e57f5da73898e310400bfc56f07 100644
--- a/cJSON.c
+++ b/cJSON.c
@@ -256,6 +256,7 @@ static const char *parse_value(cJSON *item,const char *value)
 // Render a value to text.
 static char *print_value(cJSON *item,int depth,int fmt)
 {
+	if (!item) return 0;
 	char *out=0;
 	switch ((item->type)&255)
 	{