diff --git a/crypto/ts/ts_rsp_sign.c b/crypto/ts/ts_rsp_sign.c
index 6569956285c90603f77ad06118c51ec52de57b97..ba9d53d00b72f4c5bf3ea78b1eca1f9fde6fb2fa 100644
--- a/crypto/ts/ts_rsp_sign.c
+++ b/crypto/ts/ts_rsp_sign.c
@@ -678,7 +678,8 @@ static int ts_RESP_sign(TS_RESP_CTX *ctx)
     }
 
     certs = ctx->flags & TS_ESS_CERT_ID_CHAIN ? ctx->certs : NULL;
-    if (ctx->ess_cert_id_digest == EVP_sha1()) {
+    if (ctx->ess_cert_id_digest == NULL
+        || ctx->ess_cert_id_digest == EVP_sha1()) {
         if ((sc = ess_SIGNING_CERT_new_init(ctx->signer_cert, certs)) == NULL)
             goto err;