diff --git a/src/worker/src/controller_connector.c b/src/worker/src/controller_connector.c
index ec1e4061..8544532b 100755
--- a/src/worker/src/controller_connector.c
+++ b/src/worker/src/controller_connector.c
@@ -532,8 +532,12 @@ int checking_connection()
                  * state on every rejoin, not just at startup, so the
                  * controller reconciles its view after the disconnect window
                  * (clears UNKWN on a live claim; converges to a terminal
-                 * state for processes that are gone). */
-                (void)resend_job_status(*cc_ctx->worker_list);
+                 * state for processes that are gone). worker_list is NULL
+                 * until the first job is dispatched on this worker, and some
+                 * rejoin tests exercise the rejoin path without one. */
+                if (cc_ctx != NULL && cc_ctx->worker_list != NULL) {
+                    (void)resend_job_status(*cc_ctx->worker_list);
+                }
             } else {
                 XCECD_LOG(XCE_LOG_WARN,
                           "checking_connection: rejoin after transparent "