diff --git a/src/common/pool_map.c b/src/common/pool_map.c
index 1712f398dcb..24c9268eb3b 100644
--- a/src/common/pool_map.c
+++ b/src/common/pool_map.c
@@ -1999,6 +1999,7 @@ pool_map_find_domain(struct pool_map *map, pool_comp_type_t type, uint32_t id,
 	struct pool_domain	*tmp;
 	int			 i;
 
+	D_ASSERT(map != NULL);
 	if (pool_map_empty(map)) {
 		D_ERROR("Uninitialized pool map\n");
 		return 0;
@@ -2051,6 +2052,7 @@ int
 pool_map_find_ranks(struct pool_map *map, uint32_t id,
 		    struct pool_domain **domain_pp)
 {
+	D_ASSERT(map != NULL);
 	return pool_map_find_domain(map, PO_COMP_TP_RANK, id,
 				    domain_pp);
 }
@@ -2109,6 +2111,7 @@ pool_map_find_dom_by_rank(struct pool_map *map, uint32_t rank)
 	int			doms_cnt;
 	int			i;
 
+	D_ASSERT(map != NULL);
 	doms_cnt = pool_map_find_ranks(map, PO_COMP_ID_ALL, &doms);
 	if (doms_cnt <= 0)
 		return NULL;
@@ -2191,6 +2194,7 @@ pool_map_find_target_by_rank_idx(struct pool_map *map, uint32_t rank,
 {
 	struct pool_domain	*dom;
 
+	D_ASSERT(map != NULL);
 	dom = pool_map_find_dom_by_rank(map, rank);
 	if (dom == NULL)
 		return 0;
diff --git a/src/pool/srv_util.c b/src/pool/srv_util.c
index 042488bc4f9..d95ebfba470 100644
--- a/src/pool/srv_util.c
+++ b/src/pool/srv_util.c
@@ -1532,6 +1532,13 @@ check_pool_targets(uuid_t pool_id, int *tgt_ids, int tgt_cnt, bool reint,
 
 	nr_downout = nr_down = nr_upin = nr_up = 0;
 	ABT_rwlock_rdlock(pool->sp_lock);
+
+	if (pool->sp_map == NULL) {
+		D_ERROR(DF_UUID ": Pool map not populated\n", DP_UUID(pool_id));
+		rc = -DER_UNINIT;
+		goto done;
+	}
+
 	for (i = 0; i < tgt_cnt; i++) {
 		nr = pool_map_find_target_by_rank_idx(pool->sp_map, rank,
 						      tgt_ids[i], &target);
@@ -1560,7 +1567,7 @@ check_pool_targets(uuid_t pool_id, int *tgt_ids, int tgt_cnt, bool reint,
 			break;
 		}
 	}
-
+done:
 	if (pool->sp_iv_ns != NULL) {
 		*pl_rank = pool->sp_iv_ns->iv_master_rank;
 	} else {