diff --git a/DQMServices/FwkIO/plugins/DQMRootSource.cc b/DQMServices/FwkIO/plugins/DQMRootSource.cc
index 9898b81e44868..0b3e6f1437dc0 100644
--- a/DQMServices/FwkIO/plugins/DQMRootSource.cc
+++ b/DQMServices/FwkIO/plugins/DQMRootSource.cc
@@ -550,7 +550,7 @@ std::shared_ptr<edm::FileBlock> DQMRootSource::readFile_() {
       }
     }  //end loop over names of the file
 
-    if (!isGoodFile && m_skipBadFiles)
+    if (!file || (!isGoodFile && m_skipBadFiles))
       continue;
 
     std::unique_ptr<std::string> guid{file->Get<std::string>(kCmsGuid)};