diff --git a/pbrd/pbr_vty.c b/pbrd/pbr_vty.c
index c4e36ebd46..ee9ee32f8b 100644
--- a/pbrd/pbr_vty.c
+++ b/pbrd/pbr_vty.c
@@ -199,6 +199,11 @@ DEFPY(pbr_map_match_ip_proto, pbr_map_match_ip_proto_cmd,
 		return CMD_WARNING_CONFIG_FAILED;
 
 	if (!no) {
+		if (!ip_proto) {
+			vty_out(vty, "Unable to convert (null) to proto id\n");
+			return CMD_WARNING;
+		}
+
 		p = getprotobyname(ip_proto);
 		if (!p) {
 			vty_out(vty, "Unable to convert %s to proto id\n",