diff --git a/src/lib/ares_event_win32.c b/src/lib/ares_event_win32.c
index aac27728..0b7e535b 100644
--- a/src/lib/ares_event_win32.c
+++ b/src/lib/ares_event_win32.c
@@ -341,7 +341,9 @@ typedef struct {
 static void ares_afd_handle_destroy(void *arg)
 {
   ares_afd_handle_t *hnd = arg;
-  CloseHandle(hnd->afd_handle);
+  if (hnd != NULL && hnd->afd_handle != NULL) {
+    CloseHandle(hnd->afd_handle);
+  }
   ares_free(hnd);
 }