diff --git a/src/nouveau/vulkan/nvk_mme.c b/src/nouveau/vulkan/nvk_mme.c
index 3632cc1595a..d4e36f7c78d 100644
--- a/src/nouveau/vulkan/nvk_mme.c
+++ b/src/nouveau/vulkan/nvk_mme.c
@@ -80,9 +80,11 @@ nvk_mme_test_state_state(void *_ts, uint16_t addr)
    /* First, look backwards through the expected data that we've already
     * written.  This ensures that mthd() impacts state().
     */
-   for (int32_t i = ts->ei - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
-      if (ts->test->expected[i].mthd == addr)
-         return ts->test->expected[i].data;
+   if (ts->test->expected != NULL) {
+      for (int32_t i = ts->ei - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
+         if (ts->test->expected[i].mthd == addr)
+            return ts->test->expected[i].data;
+      }
    }
 
    /* Now look at init.  We assume the init data is unique */