diff --git a/net/batman-adv/distributed-arp-table.c b/net/batman-adv/distributed-arp-table.c
index 183f97a86bb2..553921511e4e 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/distributed-arp-table.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/distributed-arp-table.c
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ static bool batadv_is_orig_node_eligible(struct batadv_dat_candidate *res,
 	/* this is an hash collision with the temporary selected node. Choose
 	 * the one with the lowest address
 	 */
-	if ((tmp_max == max) &&
+	if ((tmp_max == max) && max_orig_node &&
 	    (batadv_compare_eth(candidate->orig, max_orig_node->orig) > 0))
 		goto out;