diff --git a/sys/netinet6/ipsec.c b/sys/netinet6/ipsec.c
index 46ecaa4766c8..917fa33bb321 100644
--- a/sys/netinet6/ipsec.c
+++ b/sys/netinet6/ipsec.c
@@ -1311,8 +1311,11 @@ ipsec_deepcopy_policy(src)
 	struct ipsecrequest *r;
 	struct secpolicy *dst;
 
+	if (src == NULL)
+		return NULL;
+
 	dst = key_newsp(0);
-	if (src == NULL || dst == NULL)
+	if (dst == NULL)
 		return NULL;
 
 	/*