diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx/vmwgfx_kms.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx/vmwgfx_kms.c
index 6b0078ffa7638b163abb2a286e6b8d579daae4a5..c50724bd30f6e052e2f80e6f823379241944ff60 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx/vmwgfx_kms.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx/vmwgfx_kms.c
@@ -1688,15 +1688,19 @@ int vmw_du_page_flip(struct drm_crtc *crtc,
 	struct vmw_private *dev_priv = vmw_priv(crtc->dev);
 	struct drm_framebuffer *old_fb = crtc->fb;
 	struct vmw_framebuffer *vfb = vmw_framebuffer_to_vfb(fb);
-	struct drm_file *file_priv = event->base.file_priv;
+	struct drm_file *file_priv ;
 	struct vmw_fence_obj *fence = NULL;
 	struct drm_clip_rect clips;
 	int ret;
 
+	if (event == NULL)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	/* require ScreenObject support for page flipping */
 	if (!dev_priv->sou_priv)
 		return -ENOSYS;
 
+	file_priv = event->base.file_priv;
 	if (!vmw_kms_screen_object_flippable(dev_priv, crtc))
 		return -EINVAL;