diff --git a/lib/misc/lws-struct-lejp.c b/lib/misc/lws-struct-lejp.c
index 7e94f26f8..477bd55e9 100644
--- a/lib/misc/lws-struct-lejp.c
+++ b/lib/misc/lws-struct-lejp.c
@@ -478,6 +478,10 @@ lws_struct_json_serialize(lws_struct_serialize_t *js, uint8_t *buf,
 		/* early check if the entry should be elided */
 
 		switch (map->type) {
+		case LSMT_STRING_CHAR_ARRAY:
+			if (!q)
+				goto up;
+			break;
 		case LSMT_STRING_PTR:
 		case LSMT_CHILD_PTR:
 			q = (char *)*(char **)q;