diff --git a/crypto/asymmetric_keys/public_key.c b/crypto/asymmetric_keys/public_key.c
index 8892908ad58c..788a4ba1e2e7 100644
--- a/crypto/asymmetric_keys/public_key.c
+++ b/crypto/asymmetric_keys/public_key.c
@@ -356,7 +356,8 @@ int public_key_verify_signature(const struct public_key *pkey,
 	if (ret)
 		goto error_free_key;
 
-	if (strcmp(sig->pkey_algo, "sm2") == 0 && sig->data_size) {
+	if (sig->pkey_algo && strcmp(sig->pkey_algo, "sm2") == 0 &&
+	    sig->data_size) {
 		ret = cert_sig_digest_update(sig, tfm);
 		if (ret)
 			goto error_free_key;