diff --git a/gobject/gparamspecs.c b/gobject/gparamspecs.c
index f17b3488b9b0e9a376dcd9e999062613ac580497..17b8606572385dca8453e7d5a6194db0706dad08 100644
--- a/gobject/gparamspecs.c
+++ b/gobject/gparamspecs.c
@@ -894,6 +894,9 @@ param_param_is_valid (GParamSpec   *pspec,
 {
   GParamSpec *param = value->data[0].v_pointer;
 
+  if (param == NULL)
+    return FALSE;
+
   return g_value_type_compatible (G_PARAM_SPEC_TYPE (param), G_PARAM_SPEC_VALUE_TYPE (pspec));
 }