diff --git a/bfd/elf32-spu.c b/bfd/elf32-spu.c
index dc973fadc6c..1e2002ed879 100644
--- a/bfd/elf32-spu.c
+++ b/bfd/elf32-spu.c
@@ -286,7 +286,8 @@ spu_elf_object_p (bfd *abfd)
 	      {
 		Elf_Internal_Shdr *shdr = elf_elfsections (abfd)[j];
 
-		if (ELF_SECTION_SIZE (shdr, phdr) != 0
+		if (shdr->bfd_section != NULL
+		    && ELF_SECTION_SIZE (shdr, phdr) != 0
 		    && ELF_SECTION_IN_SEGMENT (shdr, phdr))
 		  {
 		    asection *sec = shdr->bfd_section;