diff --git a/lib/isc/radix.c b/lib/isc/radix.c
index 72416a61a5..fccad5baae 100644
--- a/lib/isc/radix.c
+++ b/lib/isc/radix.c
@@ -232,15 +232,16 @@ isc_radix_search(isc_radix_tree_t *radix, isc_radix_node_t **target,
 
 	*target = NULL;
 
-	if (radix->head == NULL) {
+	node = radix->head;
+
+	if (node == NULL) {
 		return (ISC_R_NOTFOUND);
 	}
 
-	node = radix->head;
 	addr = isc_prefix_touchar(prefix);
 	bitlen = prefix->bitlen;
 
-	while (node->bit < bitlen) {
+	while (node != NULL && node->bit < bitlen) {
 		if (node->prefix) {
 			stack[cnt++] = node;
 		}
@@ -251,13 +252,9 @@ isc_radix_search(isc_radix_tree_t *radix, isc_radix_node_t **target,
 		} else {
 			node = node->l;
 		}
-
-		if (node == NULL) {
-			break;
-		}
 	}
 
-	if (node && node->prefix) {
+	if (node != NULL && node->prefix) {
 		stack[cnt++] = node;
 	}