diff --git a/cpukit/ChangeLog b/cpukit/ChangeLog
index b8fb48a68b..8dcad2c306 100644
--- a/cpukit/ChangeLog
+++ b/cpukit/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2011-01-21	Joel Sherrill <joel.sherrilL@OARcorp.com>
+
+	* posix/src/psignal.c: Back port patch from head to avoid derefencing
+	NULL.
+
 2011-01-19	Joel Sherrill <joel.sherrilL@OARcorp.com>
 
 	* sapi/include/confdefs.h: Account for POSIX threads having a minimum
diff --git a/cpukit/posix/src/psignal.c b/cpukit/posix/src/psignal.c
index dacf169626..3040718874 100644
--- a/cpukit/posix/src/psignal.c
+++ b/cpukit/posix/src/psignal.c
@@ -117,12 +117,10 @@ void _POSIX_signals_Post_switch_extension(
   api = the_thread->API_Extensions[ THREAD_API_POSIX ];
 
   /*
-   * api cannot be NULL or we would not have registered this API extension.
+   * api may be NULL in case of a thread close in progress
    */
-  #if defined(RTEMS_DEBUG)
-    if ( !api )
+  if ( !api )
     return;
-  #endif
 
   /*
    *  If we invoke any user code, there is the possibility that