diff --git a/usr/src/cmd/sgs/elfedit/common/elfedit_machelf.c b/usr/src/cmd/sgs/elfedit/common/elfedit_machelf.c
index 73653cd6e26e..6abbc954fc48 100644
--- a/usr/src/cmd/sgs/elfedit/common/elfedit_machelf.c
+++ b/usr/src/cmd/sgs/elfedit/common/elfedit_machelf.c
@@ -276,17 +276,20 @@ elfedit32_init_obj_state(const char *file, int fd, Elf *elf)
 		switch (_cache->sec_shdr->sh_type) {
 		case SHT_SYMTAB_SHNDX:
 			symtab = get_symtab(obj_state, _cache);
-			symtab->symt_xshndx = ndx;
+			if (symtab != NULL)
+				symtab->symt_xshndx = ndx;
 			break;
 
 		case SHT_SUNW_syminfo:
 			symtab = get_symtab(obj_state, _cache);
-			symtab->symt_syminfo = ndx;
+			if (symtab != NULL)
+				symtab->symt_syminfo = ndx;
 			break;
 
 		case SHT_SUNW_versym:
 			symtab = get_symtab(obj_state, _cache);
-			symtab->symt_versym = ndx;
+			if (symtab != NULL)
+				symtab->symt_versym = ndx;
 			break;
 		}
 	}