diff --git a/src/switch_utils.c b/src/switch_utils.c
index 505c85cbd5..2ac36a7ad4 100644
--- a/src/switch_utils.c
+++ b/src/switch_utils.c
@@ -747,7 +747,7 @@ static int get_netmask(struct sockaddr_in *me, int *mask)
 {
 	struct ifaddrs *ifaddrs, *i = NULL;
 
-	if (getifaddrs(&ifaddrs) < 0) {
+	if (!me || getifaddrs(&ifaddrs) < 0) {
 		return -1;
 	}	
 
@@ -755,7 +755,7 @@ static int get_netmask(struct sockaddr_in *me, int *mask)
 		struct sockaddr_in *s = (struct sockaddr_in *)i->ifa_addr;
 		struct sockaddr_in *m = (struct sockaddr_in *)i->ifa_netmask;
 
-		if (s->sin_addr.s_addr == me->sin_addr.s_addr) {
+		if (s && m && s->sin_addr.s_addr == me->sin_addr.s_addr) {
 			*mask = m->sin_addr.s_addr;
 			return 0;
 		}