diff --git a/src/internal.c b/src/internal.c
index 09ca058e9..70bb27900 100644
--- a/src/internal.c
+++ b/src/internal.c
@@ -2345,7 +2345,9 @@ void FreeHandshakeResources(WOLFSSL* ssl)
 
 void FreeSSL(WOLFSSL* ssl)
 {
-    FreeSSL_Ctx(ssl->ctx);  /* will decrement and free underyling CTX if 0 */
+    if (ssl->ctx) {
+        FreeSSL_Ctx(ssl->ctx); /* will decrement and free underyling CTX if 0 */
+    }
     SSL_ResourceFree(ssl);
     XFREE(ssl, ssl->heap, DYNAMIC_TYPE_SSL);
 }