diff --git a/gcc/config/rs6000/rs6000.c b/gcc/config/rs6000/rs6000.c
index b0ec8108007ecbbbb8d3fa8047b33b445831e755..d0830a95027e0b940780b66b00fa9023987e96b9 100644
--- a/gcc/config/rs6000/rs6000.c
+++ b/gcc/config/rs6000/rs6000.c
@@ -21728,6 +21728,7 @@ rs6000_xcoff_encode_section_info (tree decl, rtx rtl, int first)
   if (decl
       && DECL_P (decl)
       && VAR_OR_FUNCTION_DECL_P (decl)
+      && symtab_node::get (decl) != NULL
       && symtab_node::get (decl)->alias == 0
       && symname[strlen (symname) - 1] != ']')
     {