diff --git a/libs/libc/netdb/lib_gethostentbynamer.c b/libs/libc/netdb/lib_gethostentbynamer.c
index 1b17d8ac84e..6285b39dc2e 100644
--- a/libs/libc/netdb/lib_gethostentbynamer.c
+++ b/libs/libc/netdb/lib_gethostentbynamer.c
@@ -737,7 +737,10 @@ int gethostentbyname_r(FAR const char *name,
     }
   else if ((flags & AI_NUMERICHOST) != 0)
     {
-      *h_errnop = EAI_NONAME;
+      if (h_errnop)
+        {
+          *h_errnop = EAI_NONAME;
+        }
 
       return ERROR;
     }