diff --git a/sys/kern/sys_generic.c b/sys/kern/sys_generic.c
index e9a622c7c8e8..3a96d909bb60 100644
--- a/sys/kern/sys_generic.c
+++ b/sys/kern/sys_generic.c
@@ -334,7 +334,8 @@ kern_preadv(td, fd, auio, offset)
 		return (error);
 	if (!(fp->f_ops->fo_flags & DFLAG_SEEKABLE))
 		error = ESPIPE;
-	else if (offset < 0 && fp->f_vnode->v_type != VCHR)
+	else if (offset < 0 &&
+	    (fp->f_vnode == NULL || fp->f_vnode->v_type != VCHR))
 		error = EINVAL;
 	else
 		error = dofileread(td, fd, fp, auio, offset, FOF_OFFSET);
@@ -548,7 +549,8 @@ kern_pwritev(td, fd, auio, offset)
 		return (error);
 	if (!(fp->f_ops->fo_flags & DFLAG_SEEKABLE))
 		error = ESPIPE;
-	else if (offset < 0 && fp->f_vnode->v_type != VCHR)
+	else if (offset < 0 &&
+	    (fp->f_vnode == NULL || fp->f_vnode->v_type != VCHR))
 		error = EINVAL;
 	else
 		error = dofilewrite(td, fd, fp, auio, offset, FOF_OFFSET);