diff --git a/block/block-backend.c b/block/block-backend.c
index d4abdf8faa..f425b00793 100644
--- a/block/block-backend.c
+++ b/block/block-backend.c
@@ -1058,7 +1058,7 @@ void blk_set_dev_ops(BlockBackend *blk, const BlockDevOps *ops,
     blk->dev_opaque = opaque;
 
     /* Are we currently quiesced? Should we enforce this right now? */
-    if (blk->quiesce_counter && ops->drained_begin) {
+    if (blk->quiesce_counter && ops && ops->drained_begin) {
         ops->drained_begin(opaque);
     }
 }