diff --git a/src/stick_table.c b/src/stick_table.c
index fe9fb76ff..debec567c 100644
--- a/src/stick_table.c
+++ b/src/stick_table.c
@@ -699,6 +699,9 @@ struct stksess *stktable_get_entry(struct stktable *table, struct stktable_key *
 	uint shard;
 	size_t len;
 
+	if (!key)
+		return NULL;
+
 	if (table->type == SMP_T_STR)
 		len = key->key_len + 1 < table->key_size ? key->key_len : table->key_size - 1;
 	else
@@ -706,9 +709,6 @@ struct stksess *stktable_get_entry(struct stktable *table, struct stktable_key *
 
 	shard = stktable_calc_shard_num(table, key->key, len);
 
-	if (!key)
-		return NULL;
-
 	HA_RWLOCK_RDLOCK(STK_TABLE_LOCK, &table->shards[shard].sh_lock);
 	ts = __stktable_lookup_key(table, key, shard);
 	if (ts)