diff --git a/lib/roles/http/client/client.c b/lib/roles/http/client/client.c
index e66805436..7dc1dc215 100644
--- a/lib/roles/http/client/client.c
+++ b/lib/roles/http/client/client.c
@@ -826,6 +826,9 @@ lws_client_interpret_server_handshake(struct lws *wsi)
 		}
 #endif
 
+		if (!ads) /* make coverity happy */
+			goto bail3;
+
 		if (!lws_client_reset(&wsi, ssl, ads, port, path, ads)) {
 			/* there are two ways to fail out with NULL return...
 			 * simple, early problem where the wsi is intact, or