diff --git a/src/frontend/stmclient.h b/src/frontend/stmclient.h
index 35716ad61..d13bb26ec 100644
--- a/src/frontend/stmclient.h
+++ b/src/frontend/stmclient.h
@@ -53,7 +53,11 @@ class STMClient {
 
   void output_new_frame( void );
 
-  bool still_connecting( void ) { return (network->get_remote_state_num() == 0); }
+  bool still_connecting( void )
+  {
+    /* Initially, network == NULL */
+    return ( !network ) || ( network->get_remote_state_num() == 0 );
+  }
 
 public:
   STMClient( const char *s_ip, int s_port, const char *s_key, const char *predict_mode )