diff --git a/pipewire-pulseaudio/src/context.c b/pipewire-pulseaudio/src/context.c
index 7412d578a..758c78ac1 100644
--- a/pipewire-pulseaudio/src/context.c
+++ b/pipewire-pulseaudio/src/context.c
@@ -322,7 +322,8 @@ static void do_global_sync(struct global *g)
 static void global_sync(struct global *g)
 {
 	pa_context *c = g->context;
-	c->pending_seq = pw_core_sync(c->core, PW_ID_CORE, c->pending_seq);
+	if (c->core != NULL)
+		c->pending_seq = pw_core_sync(c->core, PW_ID_CORE, c->pending_seq);
 	g->sync = true;
 }