diff --git a/src/afs/afs_vcache.c b/src/afs/afs_vcache.c
index ea2bc8b730..c97e9a9ce8 100644
--- a/src/afs/afs_vcache.c
+++ b/src/afs/afs_vcache.c
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ restart:
 	repeat:
 	    next = this_parent->d_subdirs.next;
 	resume:
-	    while (next != &this_parent->d_subdirs) {
+	    while (next && next != &this_parent->d_subdirs) {
 		struct list_head *tmp = next;
 		struct dentry *dchld = list_entry(tmp, struct dentry, d_child);