diff --git a/net/iob/iob_clone.c b/net/iob/iob_clone.c
index eb55a496bc..44acbb5f60 100644
--- a/net/iob/iob_clone.c
+++ b/net/iob/iob_clone.c
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ int iob_clone(FAR struct iob_s *iob1, FAR struct iob_s *iob2, bool throttled)
 
               iob1 = iob1->io_flink;
             }
-          while (iob1->io_len <= 0);
+          while (iob1 && iob1->io_len <= 0);
 
           /* Reset the offset to the beginning of the I/O buffer */