diff --git a/src/rig.c b/src/rig.c
index ed88de1bb..75f0ded32 100644
--- a/src/rig.c
+++ b/src/rig.c
@@ -7545,6 +7545,8 @@ void rig_lock(RIG *rig, int lock)
 {
 #ifdef HAVE_PTHREAD
 
+    if (rig->state.multicast == NULL) return; // not initialized yet
+
     if (!rig->state.multicast->mutex_initialized)
     {
         rig->state.multicast->mutex = initializer;