diff --git a/lib/sock/sock.c b/lib/sock/sock.c
index 9f96be111..0e22a8695 100644
--- a/lib/sock/sock.c
+++ b/lib/sock/sock.c
@@ -145,9 +145,10 @@ spdk_sock_map_lookup(struct spdk_sock_map *map, int placement_id,
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&map->mtx);
 	STAILQ_FOREACH(entry, &map->entries, link) {
 		if (placement_id == entry->placement_id) {
-			assert(entry->group != NULL);
 			*group = entry->group;
-			rc = 0;
+			if (*group != NULL) {
+				rc = 0;
+			}
 			break;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/sock/sock.c/sock_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/sock/sock.c/sock_ut.c
index 40bcaf117..0fa7c91ab 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/sock/sock.c/sock_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/sock/sock.c/sock_ut.c
@@ -1019,6 +1019,10 @@ ut_sock_map(void)
 
 	/* Release entry second and final time. */
 	spdk_sock_map_release(&map, 1);
+	test_group = NULL;
+	rc = spdk_sock_map_lookup(&map, 1, &test_group);
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == -EINVAL);
+	CU_ASSERT(test_group == NULL);
 
 	spdk_sock_map_cleanup(&map);
 
@@ -1062,6 +1066,29 @@ ut_sock_map(void)
 
 	spdk_sock_map_cleanup(&map);
 
+	/* Test 6
+	 * Insert single entry without a sock_group */
+	rc = spdk_sock_map_insert(&map, 1, NULL);
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
+
+	test_group = NULL;
+	rc = spdk_sock_map_lookup(&map, 1, &test_group);
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == -EINVAL);
+	CU_ASSERT(test_group == NULL);
+
+	test_id = spdk_sock_map_find_free(&map);
+	CU_ASSERT(test_id == 1);
+
+	rc = spdk_sock_map_insert(&map, test_id, group_1);
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
+
+	test_group = NULL;
+	rc = spdk_sock_map_lookup(&map, test_id, &test_group);
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
+	CU_ASSERT(test_group == group_1);
+
+	spdk_sock_map_cleanup(&map);
+
 	spdk_ut_sock_group_impl_close(group_2);
 	spdk_ut_sock_group_impl_close(group_1);
 }