diff --git a/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c b/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c
index 2415515a3c..c492c58bde 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c
@@ -1176,7 +1176,7 @@ do_syncrep2(
 				{
 					syncrepl_del_nonpresent( op, si, NULL,
 						&syncCookie, m );
-				} else {
+				} else if ( si->si_presentlist ) {
 					presentlist_free( si->si_presentlist );
 					si->si_presentlist = NULL;
 				}