diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/DisplayHardware/HWComposer.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/DisplayHardware/HWComposer.cpp
index e742d3e..a6804da 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/DisplayHardware/HWComposer.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/DisplayHardware/HWComposer.cpp
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@
 
 status_t HWComposer::eventControl(int event, int enabled) {
     status_t err = NO_ERROR;
-    if (mHwc->common.version >= HWC_DEVICE_API_VERSION_0_3) {
+    if (mHwc && mHwc->common.version >= HWC_DEVICE_API_VERSION_0_3) {
         err = mHwc->methods->eventControl(mHwc, event, enabled);
     } else {
         if (mVSyncThread != NULL) {