diff --git a/cmd/zed/agents/zfs_retire.c b/cmd/zed/agents/zfs_retire.c
index f83ae09259ab..5d65f71913c0 100644
--- a/cmd/zed/agents/zfs_retire.c
+++ b/cmd/zed/agents/zfs_retire.c
@@ -430,6 +430,11 @@ zfs_retire_recv(fmd_hdl_t *hdl, fmd_event_t *ep, nvlist_t *nvl,
 		    &vdev)) == NULL)
 			return;
 
+		if (vdev == NULL) {
+			fmd_hdl_debug(hdl, "No vdev nvlist for guid %llu\n", vdev_guid);
+			return;
+		}
+
 		devname = zpool_vdev_name(NULL, zhp, vdev, B_FALSE);
 
 		nvlist_lookup_uint64_array(vdev, ZPOOL_CONFIG_VDEV_STATS,