diff --git a/src/boot/efi/boot.c b/src/boot/efi/boot.c
index 909e4b0e62..35c649fde6 100644
--- a/src/boot/efi/boot.c
+++ b/src/boot/efi/boot.c
@@ -1316,7 +1316,7 @@ static VOID config_entry_add_from_file(
                         entry->loader = stra_to_path(value);
 
                         /* do not add an entry for ourselves */
-                        if (StriCmp(entry->loader, loaded_image_path) == 0) {
+                        if (loaded_image_path && StriCmp(entry->loader, loaded_image_path) == 0) {
                                 entry->type = LOADER_UNDEFINED;
                                 break;
                         }