diff --git a/common/globalvar.c b/common/globalvar.c
index a826e1b..c87f2c9 100644
--- a/common/globalvar.c
+++ b/common/globalvar.c
@@ -175,21 +175,24 @@
 	return 1;
 }
 
-static int nv_set(struct device_d *dev, struct param_d *p, const char *val)
+static int nv_set(struct device_d *dev, struct param_d *p, const char *name, const char *val)
 {
 	int ret;
 
 	if (!val) {
-		free(p->value);
+		if (p)
+			free(p->value);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	ret = dev_set_param(&global_device, p->name, val);
+	ret = dev_set_param(&global_device, name, val);
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
-	free(p->value);
-	p->value = xstrdup(val);
+	if (p) {
+		free(p->value);
+		p->value = xstrdup(val);
+	}
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -203,7 +206,7 @@
 {
 	int ret;
 
-	ret = nv_set(dev, p, val);
+	ret = nv_set(dev, p, p->name, val);
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
@@ -234,7 +237,7 @@
 		return ret;
 
 	if (value)
-		return nv_set(&nv_device, p, value);
+		return nv_set(&nv_device, p, name, value);
 
 	ret = nvvar_device_dispatch(name, &dev, &pname);
 	if (ret > 0)
@@ -242,7 +245,7 @@
 	else
 		value = dev_get_param(&global_device, name);
 
-	if (value) {
+	if (value && p) {
 		free(p->value);
 		p->value = xstrdup(value);
 	}