diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain_address.c b/src/qemu/qemu_domain_address.c
index 24dd7c1a58..27c9bfb946 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain_address.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain_address.c
@@ -324,7 +324,8 @@ qemuDomainPrimeVirtioDeviceAddresses(virDomainDefPtr def,
     for (i = 0; i < def->nnets; i++) {
         virDomainNetDefPtr net = def->nets[i];
 
-        if (STREQ(net->model, "virtio") &&
+        if (net->model &&
+            STREQ(net->model, "virtio") &&
             net->info.type == VIR_DOMAIN_DEVICE_ADDRESS_TYPE_NONE) {
             net->info.type = type;
         }