diff --git a/src/boot/bootctl.c b/src/boot/bootctl.c
index 5c1d2533d77..2766c8452f4 100644
--- a/src/boot/bootctl.c
+++ b/src/boot/bootctl.c
@@ -723,7 +723,7 @@ static int status_entries(
                 printf("Default Boot Loader Entry:\n");
 
                 r = boot_entry_show(
-                                config.entries + config.default_entry,
+                                boot_config_default_entry(&config),
                                 /* show_as_default= */ false,
                                 /* show_as_selected= */ false,
                                 /* show_discovered= */ false);
diff --git a/src/shared/bootspec.h b/src/shared/bootspec.h
index 5c4b211ee4c..0f199d5ee90 100644
--- a/src/shared/bootspec.h
+++ b/src/shared/bootspec.h
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ typedef struct BootConfig {
 
         BootEntry *entries;
         size_t n_entries;
+
         ssize_t default_entry;
         ssize_t selected_entry;
 
@@ -86,10 +87,12 @@ static inline BootEntry* boot_config_default_entry(BootConfig *config) {
         if (config->default_entry < 0)
                 return NULL;
 
+        assert((size_t) config->default_entry < config->n_entries);
         return config->entries + config->default_entry;
 }
 
 void boot_config_free(BootConfig *config);
+
 int boot_entries_load_config(const char *esp_path, const char *xbootldr_path, BootConfig *config);
 int boot_entries_load_config_auto(const char *override_esp_path, const char *override_xbootldr_path, BootConfig *config);
 int boot_entries_augment_from_loader(BootConfig *config, char **list, bool only_auto);