diff --git a/src/common/slurm_protocol_api.c b/src/common/slurm_protocol_api.c
index 7e2c872269e60f716a22f7b6782b8f8c8af627dd..ea546e983d27d99b55900e6d066d32a590928d1f 100644
--- a/src/common/slurm_protocol_api.c
+++ b/src/common/slurm_protocol_api.c
@@ -1394,7 +1394,7 @@ int slurm_send_recv_controller_msg(slurm_msg_t *req, slurm_msg_t *resp)
 			slurm_free_cred(resp->cred);
 
 		rc = errno;
-		if(list_count(ret_list)>0) {
+		if(ret_list && (list_count(ret_list)>0)) {
 			error("We didn't do things correctly "
 			      "missed %d responses",
 			      list_count(ret_list));