diff --git a/servers/slapd/back-bdb/filterindex.c b/servers/slapd/back-bdb/filterindex.c
index b6bc5328b0..a8961d1bee 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/back-bdb/filterindex.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/back-bdb/filterindex.c
@@ -305,8 +305,12 @@ comp_equality_candidates (
 		return 0;
 
 	ai = bdb_attr_mask( op->o_bd->be_private, mra->ma_desc );
-	if( ai )
+	if( ai ) {
 		cr_list = ai->ai_cr;
+	}
+	else {
+		return 0;
+	}
 	/* find a component reference to be indexed */
 	sat_syntax = ca->ca_ma_rule->smr_syntax;
 	for ( cr = cr_list ; cr ; cr = cr->cr_next ) {