diff --git a/src/systemc/utils/sc_report_handler.cc b/src/systemc/utils/sc_report_handler.cc
index 6b259342a6..e08ad66248 100644
--- a/src/systemc/utils/sc_report_handler.cc
+++ b/src/systemc/utils/sc_report_handler.cc
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ sc_report_compose_message(const sc_report &report)
     str << report.get_msg_type();
 
     const char *msg = report.get_msg();
-    if (msg[0])
+    if (msg && msg[0])
         str << ": " << msg;
 
     if (report.get_severity() > SC_INFO) {