diff --git a/arch/arm/mm/init.c b/arch/arm/mm/init.c
index 1565d6b67163..4fb1474141a6 100644
--- a/arch/arm/mm/init.c
+++ b/arch/arm/mm/init.c
@@ -698,7 +698,8 @@ static void update_sections_early(struct section_perm perms[], int n)
 		if (t->flags & PF_KTHREAD)
 			continue;
 		for_each_thread(t, s)
-			set_section_perms(perms, n, true, s->mm);
+			if (s->mm)
+				set_section_perms(perms, n, true, s->mm);
 	}
 	read_unlock(&tasklist_lock);
 	set_section_perms(perms, n, true, current->active_mm);