diff --git a/examples/nvme/nvme_manage/nvme_manage.c b/examples/nvme/nvme_manage/nvme_manage.c
index bf5deb2f2..4e2c991ae 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/nvme_manage/nvme_manage.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/nvme_manage/nvme_manage.c
@@ -223,6 +223,7 @@ display_namespace(struct spdk_nvme_ns *ns)
 static void
 display_controller(struct dev *dev, int model)
 {
+	struct spdk_nvme_ns			*ns;
 	const struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr_data	*cdata;
 	uint8_t					str[128];
 	uint32_t				nsid;
@@ -268,7 +269,9 @@ display_controller(struct dev *dev, int model)
 	printf("============================\n");
 	for (nsid = spdk_nvme_ctrlr_get_first_active_ns(dev->ctrlr);
 	     nsid != 0; nsid = spdk_nvme_ctrlr_get_next_active_ns(dev->ctrlr, nsid)) {
-		display_namespace(spdk_nvme_ctrlr_get_ns(dev->ctrlr, nsid));
+		ns = spdk_nvme_ctrlr_get_ns(dev->ctrlr, nsid);
+		assert(ns != NULL);
+		display_namespace(ns);
 	}
 }