diff --git a/lib/event/json_config.c b/lib/event/json_config.c
index 44df6b4cd..f1b86a2f5 100644
--- a/lib/event/json_config.c
+++ b/lib/event/json_config.c
@@ -337,6 +337,7 @@ spdk_app_json_config_load_subsystem_config_entry(void *_ctx)
 	if (spdk_json_decode_object(ctx->config_it, jsonrpc_cmd_decoders,
 				    SPDK_COUNTOF(jsonrpc_cmd_decoders), &cfg)) {
 		params_end = spdk_json_next(ctx->config_it);
+		assert(params_end != NULL);
 		params_len = params_end->start - ctx->config->start + 1;
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Failed to decode config entry: %*s!\n", (int)params_len, (char *)ctx->config_it);
 		spdk_app_json_config_load_done(ctx, -EINVAL);