diff --git a/src/vulkan/runtime/vk_pipeline_cache.c b/src/vulkan/runtime/vk_pipeline_cache.c
index c38855ac528..d7f7d776446 100644
--- a/src/vulkan/runtime/vk_pipeline_cache.c
+++ b/src/vulkan/runtime/vk_pipeline_cache.c
@@ -518,6 +518,10 @@ vk_pipeline_cache_add_nir(struct vk_pipeline_cache *cache,
                                       key_data, key_size,
                                       blob.data, blob.size);
    blob_finish(&blob);
+   if (data_obj == NULL) {
+      vk_pipeline_cache_log(cache, "Ran out of memory creating NIR shader");
+      return;
+   }
 
    struct vk_pipeline_cache_object *cached =
       vk_pipeline_cache_add_object(cache, &data_obj->base);