diff --git a/drivers/tty/vt/vc_screen.c b/drivers/tty/vt/vc_screen.c
index 4d2d46c95fef..7d40eacc21b3 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/vt/vc_screen.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/vt/vc_screen.c
@@ -686,7 +686,7 @@ vcs_write(struct file *file, const char __user *buf, size_t count, loff_t *ppos)
 	}
 	*ppos += written;
 	ret = written;
-	if (written)
+	if (written && vc)
 		vcs_scr_updated(vc);
 
 	return ret;