diff --git a/src/modules/alsa/module-alsa-card.c b/src/modules/alsa/module-alsa-card.c
index d5e2cdc29..fdc952ddd 100644
--- a/src/modules/alsa/module-alsa-card.c
+++ b/src/modules/alsa/module-alsa-card.c
@@ -351,7 +351,8 @@ int pa__init(pa_module *m) {
 
     init_profile(u);
 
-    pa_reserve_wrapper_unref(reserve);
+    if (reserve)
+        pa_reserve_wrapper_unref(reserve);
 
     return 0;