diff --git a/sys/fs/fuse/fuse_vfsops.c b/sys/fs/fuse/fuse_vfsops.c
index 6fdc904bedd..bf54df32e74 100644
--- a/sys/fs/fuse/fuse_vfsops.c
+++ b/sys/fs/fuse/fuse_vfsops.c
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ fuse_vfsop_mount(struct mount *mp)
 	size_t len;
 
 	struct cdev *fdev;
-	struct fuse_data *data;
+	struct fuse_data *data = NULL;
 	struct thread *td;
 	struct file *fp, *fptmp;
 	char *fspec, *subtype;
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ fuse_vfsop_mount(struct mount *mp)
 out:
 	if (err) {
 		FUSE_LOCK();
-		if (data->mp == mp) {
+		if (data != NULL && data->mp == mp) {
 			/*
 			 * Destroy device only if we acquired reference to
 			 * it