diff --git a/bfd/ChangeLog b/bfd/ChangeLog
index bf7b1f6d04..cafc614640 100644
--- a/bfd/ChangeLog
+++ b/bfd/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+2003-05-17  Thiemo Seufer <seufer@csv.ica.uni-stuttgart.de>
+
+	* bfd.c (_bfd_get_gp_value): Prevent illegal access for abfd null
+	pointers.
+	(_bfd_set_gp_value): Likewise.
+
 2003-05-16  Michael Snyder  <msnyder@redhat.com>
 	From Bernd Schmidt  <bernds@redhat.com>
 	* archures.c (bfd_mach_h8300sx): New.
diff --git a/bfd/bfd.c b/bfd/bfd.c
index 32250823a1..99c5ea668e 100644
--- a/bfd/bfd.c
+++ b/bfd/bfd.c
@@ -894,6 +894,8 @@ bfd_vma
 _bfd_get_gp_value (abfd)
      bfd *abfd;
 {
+  if (! abfd)
+    return 0;
   if (abfd->format != bfd_object)
     return 0;
 
@@ -912,6 +914,8 @@ _bfd_set_gp_value (abfd, v)
      bfd *abfd;
      bfd_vma v;
 {
+  if (! abfd)
+    BFD_FAIL ();
   if (abfd->format != bfd_object)
     return;