diff --git a/lib/core-net/connect.c b/lib/core-net/connect.c
index a2109007b..619240f7b 100644
--- a/lib/core-net/connect.c
+++ b/lib/core-net/connect.c
@@ -89,7 +89,12 @@ lws_client_connect_via_info(const struct lws_client_connect_info *i)
 	wsi->a.vhost = NULL;
 	if (!i->vhost) {
 		struct lws_vhost *v = i->context->vhost_list;
-		if (v && !strcmp(v->name, "system"))
+
+		if (!v) { /* coverity */
+			lwsl_err("%s: no vhost\n", __func__);
+			goto bail;
+		}
+		if (!strcmp(v->name, "system"))
 			v = v->vhost_next;
 		lws_vhost_bind_wsi(v, wsi);
 	} else
diff --git a/lib/system/async-dns/async-dns.c b/lib/system/async-dns/async-dns.c
index 8fbd7458a..68faeec4a 100644
--- a/lib/system/async-dns/async-dns.c
+++ b/lib/system/async-dns/async-dns.c
@@ -298,6 +298,11 @@ lws_async_dns_init(struct lws_context *context)
 	char ads[48];
 	int n;
 
+	if (!context->vhost_list) { /* coverity... system vhost always present */
+		lwsl_err("%s: no system vhost\n", __func__);
+		return 1;
+	}
+
 	memset(&dns->sa46, 0, sizeof(dns->sa46));
 
 #if defined(LWS_WITH_SYS_DHCP_CLIENT)