diff --git a/tools/perf/arch/powerpc/util/skip-callchain-idx.c b/tools/perf/arch/powerpc/util/skip-callchain-idx.c
index 3598b8b75d27..ef5d59a5742e 100644
--- a/tools/perf/arch/powerpc/util/skip-callchain-idx.c
+++ b/tools/perf/arch/powerpc/util/skip-callchain-idx.c
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ int arch_skip_callchain_idx(struct thread *thread, struct ip_callchain *chain)
 	u64 ip;
 	u64 skip_slot = -1;
 
-	if (chain->nr < 3)
+	if (!chain || chain->nr < 3)
 		return skip_slot;
 
 	ip = chain->ips[2];