diff --git a/src/error.h b/src/error.h
index bd3f6e03a9d3e3b73b6e630f084693cc7bf5c886..b7a7b076d426ad3e8c3f27345e5165c5528e0b3e 100644
--- a/src/error.h
+++ b/src/error.h
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ extern int throw_severity;
   recoveries->onerror=(X).previous; \
   } while(0)
 #else
-#define UNSET_ONERROR(X) recoveries->onerror=X.previous
+#define UNSET_ONERROR(X) recoveries && (recoveries->onerror=X.previous)
 #endif
 
 /* Prototypes begin here */