diff --git a/lib/vhost/vhost_scsi.c b/lib/vhost/vhost_scsi.c
index 20f9b82cb..23c45b1f6 100644
--- a/lib/vhost/vhost_scsi.c
+++ b/lib/vhost/vhost_scsi.c
@@ -1228,10 +1228,15 @@ spdk_vhost_scsi_dump_info_json(struct spdk_vhost_dev *vdev, struct spdk_json_wri
 static void
 spdk_vhost_scsi_write_config_json(struct spdk_vhost_dev *vdev, struct spdk_json_write_ctx *w)
 {
-	struct spdk_vhost_scsi_dev *svdev = to_scsi_dev(vdev);
+	struct spdk_vhost_scsi_dev *svdev;
 	struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun;
 	uint32_t i;
 
+	svdev = to_scsi_dev(vdev);
+	if (!svdev) {
+		return;
+	}
+
 	spdk_json_write_object_begin(w);
 	spdk_json_write_named_string(w, "method", "construct_vhost_scsi_controller");