diff --git a/kernel/printk.c b/kernel/printk.c
index ac8a08f..5287be8 100644
--- a/kernel/printk.c
+++ b/kernel/printk.c
@@ -956,7 +956,7 @@
 	if (console_drivers == console) {
 		console_drivers=console->next;
 		res = 0;
-	} else {
+	} else if (console_drivers) {
 		for (a=console_drivers->next, b=console_drivers ;
 		     a; b=a, a=b->next) {
 			if (a == console) {