diff --git a/sys/net/gnrc/sock/ip/gnrc_sock_ip.c b/sys/net/gnrc/sock/ip/gnrc_sock_ip.c
index c79cc7eda031..fa56c115e88f 100644
--- a/sys/net/gnrc/sock/ip/gnrc_sock_ip.c
+++ b/sys/net/gnrc/sock/ip/gnrc_sock_ip.c
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ ssize_t sock_ip_send(sock_ip_t *sock, const void *data, size_t len,
         gnrc_ep_set(&rem, remote, sizeof(rem));
     }
     if ((remote != NULL) && (remote->family == AF_UNSPEC) &&
-        (sock->remote.family != AF_UNSPEC)) {
+        (sock != NULL) && (sock->remote.family != AF_UNSPEC)) {
         /* remote was set on create so take its family */
         rem.family = sock->remote.family;
     }
diff --git a/tests/gnrc_sock_ip/main.c b/tests/gnrc_sock_ip/main.c
index 7a464b162409..5f365423e6b0 100644
--- a/tests/gnrc_sock_ip/main.c
+++ b/tests/gnrc_sock_ip/main.c
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ static void test_sock_ip_recv_buf__success(void)
     assert(_check_net());
 }
 
-static void test_sock_ip_send__EAFNOSUPPORT(void)
+static void test_sock_ip_send__EAFNOSUPPORT_INET(void)
 {
     static const sock_ip_ep_t remote = { .addr = { .ipv6 = _TEST_ADDR_REMOTE },
                                          .family = AF_INET };
@@ -376,6 +376,16 @@ static void test_sock_ip_send__EAFNOSUPPORT(void)
     expect(_check_net());
 }
 
+static void test_sock_ip_send__EAFNOSUPPORT_UNSPEC(void)
+{
+    static const sock_ip_ep_t remote = { .addr = { .ipv6 = _TEST_ADDR_REMOTE },
+                                         .family = AF_UNSPEC };
+
+    expect(-EAFNOSUPPORT == sock_ip_send(NULL, "ABCD", sizeof("ABCD"),
+                                         _TEST_PROTO, &remote));
+    expect(_check_net());
+}
+
 static void test_sock_ip_send__EINVAL_addr(void)
 {
     static const sock_ip_ep_t local = { .addr = { .ipv6 = _TEST_ADDR_LOCAL },
@@ -641,7 +651,8 @@ int main(void)
     CALL(test_sock_ip_recv__non_blocking());
     CALL(test_sock_ip_recv_buf__success());
     _prepare_send_checks();
-    CALL(test_sock_ip_send__EAFNOSUPPORT());
+    CALL(test_sock_ip_send__EAFNOSUPPORT_INET());
+    CALL(test_sock_ip_send__EAFNOSUPPORT_UNSPEC());
     CALL(test_sock_ip_send__EINVAL_addr());
     CALL(test_sock_ip_send__EINVAL_netif());
     CALL(test_sock_ip_send__ENOTCONN());
diff --git a/tests/gnrc_sock_ip/tests/01-run.py b/tests/gnrc_sock_ip/tests/01-run.py
index 9d661f3f38a6..a94f1b2a8060 100755
--- a/tests/gnrc_sock_ip/tests/01-run.py
+++ b/tests/gnrc_sock_ip/tests/01-run.py
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ def testfunc(child):
     child.expect_exact(u"Calling test_sock_ip_recv__unsocketed()")
     child.expect_exact(u"Calling test_sock_ip_recv__unsocketed_with_remote()")
     child.expect_exact(u"Calling test_sock_ip_recv__with_timeout()")
-    child.expect_exact(u"Calling test_sock_ip_send__EAFNOSUPPORT()")
+    child.expect_exact(u"Calling test_sock_ip_send__EAFNOSUPPORT_INET()")
+    child.expect_exact(u"Calling test_sock_ip_send__EAFNOSUPPORT_UNSPEC()")
     child.expect_exact(u"Calling test_sock_ip_send__EINVAL_addr()")
     child.expect_exact(u"Calling test_sock_ip_send__EINVAL_netif()")
     child.expect_exact(u"Calling test_sock_ip_send__ENOTCONN()")