diff --git a/src/cfgparse.c b/src/cfgparse.c
index 989f313a9..4201c1354 100644
--- a/src/cfgparse.c
+++ b/src/cfgparse.c
@@ -3906,7 +3906,9 @@ int check_config_validity()
 	 */
 	if (init_proxies_list == proxies_list) {
 		init_proxies_list = cfg_log_forward;
-		goto init_proxies_list_stage1;
+		/* check if list is not null to avoid infinite loop */
+		if (init_proxies_list)
+			goto init_proxies_list_stage1;
 	}
 
 	/***********************************************************/
@@ -4058,7 +4060,9 @@ int check_config_validity()
 	 */
 	if (init_proxies_list == proxies_list) {
 		init_proxies_list = cfg_log_forward;
-		goto init_proxies_list_stage2;
+		/* check if list is not null to avoid infinite loop */
+		if (init_proxies_list)
+			goto init_proxies_list_stage2;
 	}
 
 	if (diag_no_cluster_secret)