diff --git a/ripd/rip_zebra.c b/ripd/rip_zebra.c
index 4fc0e00aa9..cbff810b01 100644
--- a/ripd/rip_zebra.c
+++ b/ripd/rip_zebra.c
@@ -106,7 +106,10 @@ rip_zebra_read_ipv4 (int command, struct zclient *zclient, zebra_size_t length,
   unsigned long ifindex;
   struct in_addr nexthop;
   struct prefix_ipv4 p;
-  
+
+  if (!rip)
+    return 0;
+
   s = zclient->ibuf;
   ifindex = 0;
   nexthop.s_addr = 0;