diff --git a/plugins/ssh-base/sshd.c b/plugins/ssh-base/sshd.c
index d60d5f2e..345e1b85 100644
--- a/plugins/ssh-base/sshd.c
+++ b/plugins/ssh-base/sshd.c
@@ -2045,14 +2045,12 @@ lws_callback_raw_sshd(struct lws *wsi, enum lws_callback_reasons reason,
 			lws_protocol_vh_priv_get(lws_get_vhost(wsi),
 				pss->vhd->protocol);
 	else
-		vhd = (struct per_vhost_data__sshd *)
+		if (lws_get_vhost(wsi))
+			vhd = (struct per_vhost_data__sshd *)
 				lws_protocol_vh_priv_get(lws_get_vhost(wsi),
 				lws_vhost_name_to_protocol(
 					lws_get_vhost(wsi), "lws-ssh-base"));
 
-	if (!vhd && reason != LWS_CALLBACK_PROTOCOL_INIT)
-		return -1;
-
 	switch ((int)reason) {
 	case LWS_CALLBACK_PROTOCOL_INIT:
 		vhd = lws_protocol_vh_priv_zalloc(lws_get_vhost(wsi),