diff --git a/fs/btrfs/ctree.c b/fs/btrfs/ctree.c
index 3df434eb1474..3faccbf35e9f 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/ctree.c
+++ b/fs/btrfs/ctree.c
@@ -2973,6 +2973,10 @@ int btrfs_search_old_slot(struct btrfs_root *root, struct btrfs_key *key,
 
 again:
 	b = get_old_root(root, time_seq);
+	if (!b) {
+		ret = -EIO;
+		goto done;
+	}
 	level = btrfs_header_level(b);
 	p->locks[level] = BTRFS_READ_LOCK;