diff --git a/lib/client-handshake.c b/lib/client-handshake.c
index 278bb8d5..a5b4e3fe 100644
--- a/lib/client-handshake.c
+++ b/lib/client-handshake.c
@@ -18,6 +18,12 @@ lws_client_connect_2(struct lws *wsi)
 
 	lwsl_client("%s\n", __func__);
 
+	if (!wsi->u.hdr.ah) {
+		cce = "ah was NULL at cc2";
+		lwsl_err("%s\n", cce);
+		goto oom4;
+	}
+
 	/* proxy? */
 
 	if (wsi->vhost->http_proxy_port) {