diff --git a/src/access/viraccessmanager.c b/src/access/viraccessmanager.c
index 31e1787919..e2ceeca57f 100644
--- a/src/access/viraccessmanager.c
+++ b/src/access/viraccessmanager.c
@@ -65,6 +65,12 @@ VIR_ONCE_GLOBAL_INIT(virAccessManager);
 
 virAccessManagerPtr virAccessManagerGetDefault(void)
 {
+    if (virAccessManagerDefault == NULL) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
+                       _("No access manager registered"));
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
     return virObjectRef(virAccessManagerDefault);
 }