diff --git a/main/format_cap.c b/main/format_cap.c
index 2b3e6cd5f87646b7a4f4f905aeb1204ee9405283..013b7bea1bfc5e94427c83247b101b8ee5aa4b92 100644
--- a/main/format_cap.c
+++ b/main/format_cap.c
@@ -703,7 +703,7 @@ const char *ast_format_cap_get_names(struct ast_format_cap *cap, struct ast_str
 
 	ast_str_set(buf, 0, "(");
 
-	if (!AST_VECTOR_SIZE(&cap->preference_order)) {
+	if (!cap || !AST_VECTOR_SIZE(&cap->preference_order)) {
 		ast_str_append(buf, 0, "nothing)");
 		return ast_str_buffer(*buf);
 	}