diff --git a/bin/named/server.c b/bin/named/server.c
index da1566ebb86354f6dd72f8d49f1b026b6c98c1c4..0d9639717ff80953a60d634f1975d22fff0f4d8d 100644
--- a/bin/named/server.c
+++ b/bin/named/server.c
@@ -10116,7 +10116,7 @@ named_server_destroy(named_server_t **serverp) {
 
 static void
 fatal(named_server_t *server, const char *msg, isc_result_t result) {
-	if (server != NULL) {
+	if (server != NULL && server->task != NULL) {
 		/*
 		 * Prevent races between the OpenSSL on_exit registered
 		 * function and any other OpenSSL calls from other tasks