diff --git a/core.c b/core.c
index 0b75cb9..11d4777 100644
--- a/core.c
+++ b/core.c
@@ -332,6 +332,9 @@
 static struct mctp_bus *find_bus_for_eid(struct mctp *mctp,
 		mctp_eid_t dest __attribute__((unused)))
 {
+	if (mctp->n_busses == 0)
+		return NULL;
+
 	/* for now, just use the first bus. For full routing support,
 	 * we will need a table of neighbours */
 	return &mctp->busses[0];
@@ -803,5 +806,8 @@
 	struct mctp_bus *bus;
 
 	bus = find_bus_for_eid(mctp, eid);
+	if (!bus)
+		return 0;
+
 	return mctp_message_tx_on_bus(bus, bus->eid, eid, msg, msg_len);
 }