diff --git a/bfd/ChangeLog b/bfd/ChangeLog
index 45545f56680..9a2ce289c2a 100644
--- a/bfd/ChangeLog
+++ b/bfd/ChangeLog
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 2007-07-26  Michael Snyder  <msnyder@access-company.com>
 
+	* syms.c (bfd_decode_symclass): Guard against NULL, since 
+	bfd_is_com_section dereferences the pointer.
+
 	* srec.c (srec_scan): Check for EOF (critical because return value
 	will be used as array index).
 
diff --git a/bfd/syms.c b/bfd/syms.c
index ea50944491f..9d425684d90 100644
--- a/bfd/syms.c
+++ b/bfd/syms.c
@@ -651,7 +651,7 @@ bfd_decode_symclass (asymbol *symbol)
 {
   char c;
 
-  if (bfd_is_com_section (symbol->section))
+  if (symbol->section && bfd_is_com_section (symbol->section))
     return 'C';
   if (bfd_is_und_section (symbol->section))
     {