diff --git a/src/conio/bitmap_con.c b/src/conio/bitmap_con.c
index 480a2e8dd163f4e5b8e2e6905fe2dffa1b651c91..7e6589fca4517e0d53285fe8bf3c0145fc5bf95b 100644
--- a/src/conio/bitmap_con.c
+++ b/src/conio/bitmap_con.c
@@ -582,6 +582,8 @@ static int bitmap_draw_one_char(struct vmem_cell *vc, unsigned int xpos, unsigne
 	if (this_font == NULL) {
 		this_font = font[0];
 	}
+	if (this_font == NULL)
+		return(-1);
 	fdw = vstat.charwidth - (vstat.flags & VIDMODES_FLAG_EXPAND) ? 1 : 0;
 	fontoffset=(sch) * (vstat.charheight * ((fdw + 7) / 8));