diff --git a/library/ssl_tls.c b/library/ssl_tls.c
index 20a2538290..1656f83336 100644
--- a/library/ssl_tls.c
+++ b/library/ssl_tls.c
@@ -4467,10 +4467,13 @@ void mbedtls_ssl_handshake_free(mbedtls_ssl_context *ssl)
 #endif /* MBEDTLS_SSL_HANDSHAKE_WITH_CERT_ENABLED */
 
 #if defined(MBEDTLS_SSL_ASYNC_PRIVATE)
-    if (ssl->conf->f_async_cancel != NULL && handshake->async_in_progress != 0) {
+    if (ssl->conf != NULL) {
+    if (ssl->conf->f_async_cancel != NULL) {
+    if(handshake->async_in_progress != 0) {
         ssl->conf->f_async_cancel(ssl);
         handshake->async_in_progress = 0;
-    }
+    }}}
+
 #endif /* MBEDTLS_SSL_ASYNC_PRIVATE */
 
 #if defined(PSA_WANT_ALG_SHA_256)