diff --git a/src/modbus-tcp.c b/src/modbus-tcp.c
index f1ec959b..a43faaf1 100644
--- a/src/modbus-tcp.c
+++ b/src/modbus-tcp.c
@@ -445,7 +445,9 @@ static int _modbus_tcp_pi_connect(modbus_t *ctx)
             fprintf(stderr, "Error returned by getaddrinfo: %d\n", rc);
 #endif
         }
-        freeaddrinfo(ai_list);
+        if (ai_list != NULL) {
+            freeaddrinfo(ai_list);
+        }
         errno = ECONNREFUSED;
         return -1;
     }