diff --git a/src/cmdparse.y b/src/cmdparse.y
index 9b63ff0c..d271c997 100644
--- a/src/cmdparse.y
+++ b/src/cmdparse.y
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ focus:
             int to_focus = $2;
             if ($2 == TOK_MODE_TOGGLE) {
                 current = TAILQ_FIRST(&(ws->focus_head));
-                if (current->type == CT_FLOATING_CON)
+                if (current != NULL && current->type == CT_FLOATING_CON)
                     to_focus = TOK_TILING;
                 else to_focus = TOK_FLOATING;
             }