diff --git a/lib/libnv/nvpair.c b/lib/libnv/nvpair.c
index b4be331c2d76..8ff85388f8bb 100644
--- a/lib/libnv/nvpair.c
+++ b/lib/libnv/nvpair.c
@@ -963,7 +963,8 @@ nvpair_createv_nvlist(const nvlist_t *value, const char *namefmt,
 	    namefmt, nameap);
 	if (nvp == NULL)
 		nvlist_destroy(nvl);
-	nvlist_set_parent(nvl, nvp);
+	else
+		nvlist_set_parent(nvl, nvp);
 
 	return (nvp);
 }