diff --git a/mysql-test/main/temp_table_frm.result b/mysql-test/main/temp_table_frm.result
index a9c59ff5969..e54d91bf940 100644
--- a/mysql-test/main/temp_table_frm.result
+++ b/mysql-test/main/temp_table_frm.result
@@ -25,3 +25,9 @@ OPENED_VIEWS	0
 set @@use_stat_tables= @save_use_stat_tables;
 set @@optimizer_use_condition_selectivity=@save_optimizer_use_condition_selectivity;
 drop table t1;
+#
+# MDEV-36138 Server null-pointer crash at startup when tmptables left in --tmpdir
+#
+create table t1 (c int);
+drop table t1;
+# restart
diff --git a/mysql-test/main/temp_table_frm.test b/mysql-test/main/temp_table_frm.test
index 47d2fc40d20..1f36238f418 100644
--- a/mysql-test/main/temp_table_frm.test
+++ b/mysql-test/main/temp_table_frm.test
@@ -24,4 +24,15 @@ select variable_name, session_status.variable_value - t1.variable_value
 from information_schema.session_status join t1 using (variable_name);
 set @@use_stat_tables= @save_use_stat_tables;
 set @@optimizer_use_condition_selectivity=@save_optimizer_use_condition_selectivity;
-drop table t1;
\ No newline at end of file
+drop table t1;
+
+--echo #
+--echo # MDEV-36138 Server null-pointer crash at startup when tmptables left in --tmpdir
+--echo #
+
+create table t1 (c int);
+let $MYSQLD_TMPDIR=`SELECT @@tmpdir`;
+let $MYSQLD_DATADIR=`SELECT @@datadir`;
+--copy_file $MYSQLD_DATADIR/test/t1.frm $MYSQLD_TMPDIR/#sqlt1.frm
+drop table t1;
+--source include/restart_mysqld.inc
diff --git a/sql/sql_base.cc b/sql/sql_base.cc
index 95b650c33d3..09dac838c3f 100644
--- a/sql/sql_base.cc
+++ b/sql/sql_base.cc
@@ -8986,9 +8986,11 @@ my_bool mysql_rm_tmp_tables(void)
           memcpy(path_copy, path, path_len - ext_len);
           path_copy[path_len - ext_len]= 0;
           init_tmp_table_share(thd, &share, "", 0, "", path_copy);
-          handlerton *ht= share.db_type();
           if (!open_table_def(thd, &share))
-            ht->drop_table(share.db_type(), path_copy);
+          {
+            handlerton *ht= share.db_type();
+            ht->drop_table(ht, path_copy);
+          }
           free_table_share(&share);
         }
         /*