diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_rxq.c b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_rxq.c
index c0605637a7..aaa26a40d4 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_rxq.c
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_rxq.c
@@ -2074,7 +2074,7 @@ mlx5_rxq_release(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, uint16_t idx)
 	struct mlx5_priv *priv = dev->data->dev_private;
 	struct mlx5_rxq_ctrl *rxq_ctrl;
 
-	if (!(*priv->rxqs)[idx])
+	if (priv->rxqs == NULL || (*priv->rxqs)[idx] == NULL)
 		return 0;
 	rxq_ctrl = container_of((*priv->rxqs)[idx], struct mlx5_rxq_ctrl, rxq);
 	assert(rxq_ctrl->priv);
diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_txq.c b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_txq.c
index 9c929a57ea..a63b362048 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_txq.c
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_txq.c
@@ -1410,7 +1410,7 @@ mlx5_txq_release(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, uint16_t idx)
 	struct mlx5_priv *priv = dev->data->dev_private;
 	struct mlx5_txq_ctrl *txq;
 
-	if (!(*priv->txqs)[idx])
+	if (priv->txqs == NULL || (*priv->txqs)[idx] == NULL)
 		return 0;
 	txq = container_of((*priv->txqs)[idx], struct mlx5_txq_ctrl, txq);
 	if (txq->obj && !mlx5_txq_obj_release(txq->obj))