diff --git a/pvar.c b/pvar.c
index e53dfb7b5f0..f15e434d26e 100644
--- a/pvar.c
+++ b/pvar.c
@@ -3718,7 +3718,7 @@ char* pv_parse_spec(str *in, pv_spec_p e)
 			goto error;
 		}
 		s.len = p - s.s;
-		if(pte->parse_name(e, &s)!=0)
+		if(pte->parse_name == NULL || pte->parse_name(e, &s)!=0)
 		{
 			LM_ERR("pvar \"%.*s\" has an invalid name param [%.*s]\n",
 					pvname.len, pvname.s, s.len, s.s);