diff --git a/hw/ppc/spapr_pci.c b/hw/ppc/spapr_pci.c
index 5cd676e443..6bcb4f419b 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/spapr_pci.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/spapr_pci.c
@@ -1559,7 +1559,7 @@ static void spapr_phb_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
     sPAPRMachineState *spapr =
         (sPAPRMachineState *) object_dynamic_cast(qdev_get_machine(),
                                                   TYPE_SPAPR_MACHINE);
-    sPAPRMachineClass *smc = SPAPR_MACHINE_GET_CLASS(spapr);
+    sPAPRMachineClass *smc = spapr ? SPAPR_MACHINE_GET_CLASS(spapr) : NULL;
     SysBusDevice *s = SYS_BUS_DEVICE(dev);
     sPAPRPHBState *sphb = SPAPR_PCI_HOST_BRIDGE(s);
     PCIHostState *phb = PCI_HOST_BRIDGE(s);