diff --git a/apps/ciphers.c b/apps/ciphers.c
index fa119c6eb3..c33685d8ce 100644
--- a/apps/ciphers.c
+++ b/apps/ciphers.c
@@ -226,6 +226,10 @@ int ciphers_main(int argc, char **argv)
     if (!verbose) {
         for (i = 0; i < sk_SSL_CIPHER_num(sk); i++) {
             const SSL_CIPHER *c = sk_SSL_CIPHER_value(sk, i);
+
+            if (!ossl_assert(c != NULL))
+                continue;
+
             p = SSL_CIPHER_get_name(c);
             if (p == NULL)
                 break;
@@ -241,6 +245,9 @@ int ciphers_main(int argc, char **argv)
 
             c = sk_SSL_CIPHER_value(sk, i);
 
+            if (!ossl_assert(c != NULL))
+                continue;
+
             if (Verbose) {
                 unsigned long id = SSL_CIPHER_get_id(c);
                 int id0 = (int)(id >> 24);