diff --git a/libweston/noop-renderer.c b/libweston/noop-renderer.c
index 06b4aebc..58d0b668 100644
--- a/libweston/noop-renderer.c
+++ b/libweston/noop-renderer.c
@@ -94,6 +94,12 @@ noop_renderer_attach(struct weston_paint_node *pnode)
 	}
 
 	shm_buffer = buffer->shm_buffer;
+	/* This can happen if a SHM wl_buffer gets destroyed before we attach,
+	 * because wayland-server just nukes the wl_shm_buffer from underneath
+	 * us. */
+	if (!shm_buffer)
+		return;
+
 	data = wl_shm_buffer_get_data(shm_buffer);
 	stride = buffer->stride;
 	height = buffer->height;