diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/nvmet.h b/drivers/nvme/target/nvmet.h
index e315f1c24e73..bd13adc72f67 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/nvmet.h
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/nvmet.h
@@ -957,7 +957,8 @@ static inline void nvmet_req_bio_put(struct nvmet_req *req, struct bio *bio)
 #ifdef CONFIG_NVME_TARGET_TCP_TLS
 static inline key_serial_t nvmet_queue_tls_keyid(struct nvmet_sq *sq)
 {
-	return sq->tls_key ? key_serial(sq->tls_key) : 0;
+	/* A PCI endpoint controller is created without a queue */
+	return sq && sq->tls_key ? key_serial(sq->tls_key) : 0;
 }
 static inline void nvmet_sq_put_tls_key(struct nvmet_sq *sq)
 {