diff --git a/wolfcrypt/src/hpke.c b/wolfcrypt/src/hpke.c
index 8f16f66f70..52f2ad8fd7 100644
--- a/wolfcrypt/src/hpke.c
+++ b/wolfcrypt/src/hpke.c
@@ -1175,7 +1175,8 @@ int wc_HpkeContextOpenBase(Hpke* hpke, HpkeBaseContext* context, byte* aad,
     int ret;
     byte nonce[HPKE_Nn_MAX];
     WC_DECLARE_VAR(aes, Aes, 1, 0);
-    if (hpke == NULL || context == NULL || ciphertext == NULL || out == NULL) {
+    if (hpke == NULL || context == NULL || (aad == NULL && aadSz > 0) ||
+        ciphertext == NULL || out == NULL) {
         return BAD_FUNC_ARG;
     }