diff --git a/drivers/dma/sh/rz-dmac.c b/drivers/dma/sh/rz-dmac.c
index 9f206a33dcc6..6d80cb668957 100644
--- a/drivers/dma/sh/rz-dmac.c
+++ b/drivers/dma/sh/rz-dmac.c
@@ -723,8 +723,8 @@ static u32 rz_dmac_chan_get_residue(struct rz_dmac_chan *channel,
 	u32 crla, crtb, i;
 
 	/* Get current processing virtual descriptor */
-	current_desc = list_first_entry(&channel->ld_active,
-					struct rz_dmac_desc, node);
+	current_desc = list_first_entry_or_null(&channel->ld_active,
+						struct rz_dmac_desc, node);
 	if (!current_desc)
 		return 0;