diff --git a/src/core/surface/channel.c b/src/core/surface/channel.c
index 81f673f856e..688a586e189 100644
--- a/src/core/surface/channel.c
+++ b/src/core/surface/channel.c
@@ -229,7 +229,9 @@ static void destroy_channel(void *p, int ok) {
     registered_call *rc = channel->registered_calls;
     channel->registered_calls = rc->next;
     GRPC_MDELEM_UNREF(rc->path);
-    GRPC_MDELEM_UNREF(rc->authority);
+    if (rc->authority) {
+      GRPC_MDELEM_UNREF(rc->authority);
+    }
     gpr_free(rc);
   }
   grpc_mdctx_unref(channel->metadata_context);