diff --git a/tests/hwsim/test_wpas_ctrl.py b/tests/hwsim/test_wpas_ctrl.py
index 63307582f..dbb2e8db2 100644
--- a/tests/hwsim/test_wpas_ctrl.py
+++ b/tests/hwsim/test_wpas_ctrl.py
@@ -800,7 +800,7 @@ def test_wpas_ctrl_get_capability(dev):
         raise Exception("Unexpected GET_CAPABILITY tdls response: " + str(res))
 
     res = dev[0].get_capability("erp")
-    if "ERP" not in res[0]:
+    if res is None or "ERP" not in res[0]:
         raise Exception("Unexpected GET_CAPABILITY erp response: " + str(res))
 
     if dev[0].get_capability("foo") is not None: