diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_bo.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_bo.c
index 994879d9db74..35bb0bb3fe61 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_bo.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_bo.c
@@ -1008,7 +1008,8 @@ nouveau_bo_move(struct ttm_buffer_object *bo, bool evict,
 	}
 
 	/* Fake bo copy. */
-	if (old_reg->mem_type == TTM_PL_SYSTEM && !bo->ttm) {
+	if (!old_reg || (old_reg->mem_type == TTM_PL_SYSTEM &&
+			 !bo->ttm)) {
 		ttm_bo_move_null(bo, new_reg);
 		goto out;
 	}