diff --git a/src/mpi/attr/attrutil.c b/src/mpi/attr/attrutil.c
index b9abbe6..5af452a 100644
--- a/src/mpi/attr/attrutil.c
+++ b/src/mpi/attr/attrutil.c
@@ -266,6 +266,7 @@ int MPIR_Attr_delete_list( int handle, MPID_Attribute **attr )
           corresponding keyval */
        /* Still to do: capture any error returns but continue to
           process attributes */
+    if (p->keyval) {
        mpi_errno = MPIR_Call_attr_delete( handle, p );

        /* We must also remove the keyval reference.  If the keyval
@@ -282,6 +283,7 @@ int MPIR_Attr_delete_list( int handle, MPID_Attribute **attr )
                MPIU_Handle_obj_free( &MPID_Keyval_mem, p->keyval );
            }
        }
+    }

        MPIU_Handle_obj_free( &MPID_Attr_mem, p );