diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c
index 323a44e81..81e2db99e 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c
@@ -998,9 +998,14 @@ G_DEFINE_TYPE_WITH_CODE (ClutterActor,
 const char *
 _clutter_actor_get_debug_name (ClutterActor *actor)
 {
-  ClutterActorPrivate *priv = actor->priv;
+  ClutterActorPrivate *priv;
   const char *retval;
 
+  if (!actor)
+    return "<unnamed>[<ClutterActor>NULL]";
+
+  priv = actor->priv;
+
   if (G_UNLIKELY (priv->debug_name == NULL))
     {
       priv->debug_name = g_strdup_printf ("<%s>[<%s>:%p]",