diff --git a/glib/gbytes.c b/glib/gbytes.c
index 9b358c4a0..a3647caee 100644
--- a/glib/gbytes.c
+++ b/glib/gbytes.c
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ g_bytes_new (gconstpointer data,
       GBytesInline *bytes;
 
       bytes = g_malloc (sizeof *bytes + size);
-      bytes->bytes.data = bytes->inline_data;
+      bytes->bytes.data = data != NULL ? bytes->inline_data : NULL;
       bytes->bytes.size = size;
       bytes->bytes.free_func = NULL;
       bytes->bytes.user_data = NULL;
diff --git a/glib/tests/bytes.c b/glib/tests/bytes.c
index 16a08e222..7d432fdee 100644
--- a/glib/tests/bytes.c
+++ b/glib/tests/bytes.c
@@ -451,6 +451,7 @@ test_null (void)
   gsize size;
 
   bytes = g_bytes_new (NULL, 0);
+  g_assert_null (g_bytes_get_data (bytes, NULL));
 
   data = g_bytes_unref_to_data (bytes, &size);