diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/cds/aotClassLocation.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/cds/aotClassLocation.cpp
index f77aac3540c..62fc491a0dd 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/cds/aotClassLocation.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/cds/aotClassLocation.cpp
@@ -965,7 +965,12 @@ bool AOTClassLocationConfig::validate(const char* cache_filename, bool has_aot_l
 
   log_locations(cache_filename, /*is_write=*/false);
 
-  const char* jrt = ClassLoader::get_jrt_entry()->name();
+  ClassPathEntry* jrt_entry = ClassLoader::get_jrt_entry();
+  if (jrt_entry == nullptr) {
+    log_warning(class, path)("Runtime image (modules) is unreadable or missing - validation failed");
+    return false;
+  }
+  const char* jrt = jrt_entry->name();
   log_info(class, path)("Checking [0] (modules image)");
   bool success = class_location_at(0)->check(jrt, has_aot_linked_classes);
   log_info(class, path)("Modules image %s validation: %s", jrt, success ? "passed" : "failed");