diff --git a/cmd-new-session.c b/cmd-new-session.c
index 5e69a77c..49ece8b4 100644
--- a/cmd-new-session.c
+++ b/cmd-new-session.c
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ cmd_new_session_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_q *cmdq)
 			return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 		}
 		cwd = fd;
-	} else if (c->session == NULL)
+	} else if (c != NULL && c->session == NULL)
 		cwd = c->cwd;
 	else if ((c0 = cmd_current_client(cmdq)) != NULL)
 		cwd = c0->session->cwd;
diff --git a/cmd-new-window.c b/cmd-new-window.c
index 445f0a33..e2a01190 100644
--- a/cmd-new-window.c
+++ b/cmd-new-window.c
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ cmd_new_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_q *cmdq)
 			return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 		}
 		cwd = fd;
-	} else if (cmdq->client->session == NULL)
+	} else if (cmdq->client != NULL && cmdq->client->session == NULL)
 		cwd = cmdq->client->cwd;
 	else
 		cwd = s->cwd;
diff --git a/cmd-split-window.c b/cmd-split-window.c
index 43d47c47..92e6121f 100644
--- a/cmd-split-window.c
+++ b/cmd-split-window.c
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ cmd_split_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_q *cmdq)
 			return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 		}
 		cwd = fd;
-	} else if (cmdq->client->session == NULL)
+	} else if (cmdq->client != NULL && cmdq->client->session == NULL)
 		cwd = cmdq->client->cwd;
 	else
 		cwd = s->cwd;