diff --git a/src/switch_rtp.c b/src/switch_rtp.c
index ae86120759..f30fccd311 100644
--- a/src/switch_rtp.c
+++ b/src/switch_rtp.c
@@ -798,7 +798,7 @@ SWITCH_DECLARE(switch_status_t) switch_rtp_create(switch_rtp_t **new_rtp_session
 	rtp_session->ms_per_packet = ms_per_packet;
 	rtp_session->samples_per_interval = rtp_session->conf_samples_per_interval = samples_per_interval;
 
-	if (!strcasecmp(timer_name, "none")) {
+	if (timer_name && !strcasecmp(timer_name, "none")) {
 		timer_name = NULL;
 	}