diff --git a/drivers/platform/msm/ipa/ipa_v3/ipa_qmi_service.c b/drivers/platform/msm/ipa/ipa_v3/ipa_qmi_service.c
index 25b92326be..83aa5e3d2d 100644
--- a/drivers/platform/msm/ipa/ipa_v3/ipa_qmi_service.c
+++ b/drivers/platform/msm/ipa/ipa_v3/ipa_qmi_service.c
@@ -473,6 +473,8 @@ static int ipa3_qmi_send_req_wait(struct qmi_handle *client_handle,
 	struct qmi_txn txn;
 	int ret;
 
+	if (!client_handle)
+		return -EINVAL;
 	ret = qmi_txn_init(client_handle, &txn, resp_desc->ei_array, resp);
 
 	if (ret < 0) {