diff --git a/projects/clr/rocclr/runtime/platform/program.cpp b/projects/clr/rocclr/runtime/platform/program.cpp
index 979b4ccb29..f9926a83bb 100644
--- a/projects/clr/rocclr/runtime/platform/program.cpp
+++ b/projects/clr/rocclr/runtime/platform/program.cpp
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ Program::~Program() {
 }
 
 const Symbol* Program::findSymbol(const char* kernelName) const {
+  // avoid seg. fault if the program has not built yet
+  if (symbolTable_ == NULL) {
+    return NULL;
+  }
+
   symbols_t::const_iterator it = symbolTable_->find(kernelName);
   return (it == symbolTable_->end()) ? NULL : &it->second;
 }