diff --git a/lib/ns/query.c b/lib/ns/query.c
index 48182fe80a..baa867e2f8 100644
--- a/lib/ns/query.c
+++ b/lib/ns/query.c
@@ -9600,7 +9600,9 @@ query_nxdomain(query_ctx_t *qctx, isc_result_t res) {
 	{
 		ttl = 0;
 	}
-	if (!qctx->nxrewrite || qctx->rpz_st->m.rpz->addsoa) {
+	if (!qctx->nxrewrite ||
+	    (qctx->rpz_st != NULL && qctx->rpz_st->m.rpz->addsoa))
+	{
 		result = query_addsoa(qctx, ttl, section);
 		if (result != ISC_R_SUCCESS) {
 			QUERY_ERROR(qctx, result);