diff --git a/.changelog/13845.txt b/.changelog/13845.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..88778bcc8f40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changelog/13845.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+```release-note:bug
+api: Fixed a nil pointer dereference when periodic jobs are missing their periodic spec
+```
diff --git a/api/jobs.go b/api/jobs.go
index a9011189731d..c9921c9fd3bf 100644
--- a/api/jobs.go
+++ b/api/jobs.go
@@ -822,7 +822,7 @@ func (p *PeriodicConfig) Canonicalize() {
 // returned. The `time.Location` of the returned value matches that of the
 // passed time.
 func (p *PeriodicConfig) Next(fromTime time.Time) (time.Time, error) {
-	if *p.SpecType == PeriodicSpecCron {
+	if p != nil && *p.SpecType == PeriodicSpecCron {
 		e, err := cronexpr.Parse(*p.Spec)
 		if err != nil {
 			return time.Time{}, fmt.Errorf("failed parsing cron expression %q: %v", *p.Spec, err)