diff --git a/wolfcrypt/src/poly1305.c b/wolfcrypt/src/poly1305.c
index e54d7cf98..adf3dbf80 100644
--- a/wolfcrypt/src/poly1305.c
+++ b/wolfcrypt/src/poly1305.c
@@ -1211,6 +1211,9 @@ int wc_Poly1305SetKey(Poly1305* ctx, const byte* key, word32 keySz)
     word64 t0,t1;
 #endif
 
+    if (key == NULL)
+        return BAD_FUNC_ARG;
+
 #ifdef CHACHA_AEAD_TEST
     word32 k;
     printf("Poly key used:\n");
@@ -1222,7 +1225,7 @@ int wc_Poly1305SetKey(Poly1305* ctx, const byte* key, word32 keySz)
     printf("\n");
 #endif
 
-    if (keySz != 32 || ctx == NULL || key == NULL)
+    if (keySz != 32 || ctx == NULL)
         return BAD_FUNC_ARG;
 
 #ifdef USE_INTEL_SPEEDUP