diff --git a/lib/checkunusedvar.cpp b/lib/checkunusedvar.cpp
index f22987b77b1..755b77517c7 100644
--- a/lib/checkunusedvar.cpp
+++ b/lib/checkunusedvar.cpp
@@ -1595,7 +1595,7 @@ bool CheckUnusedVar::isRecordTypeWithoutSideEffects(const Type* type)
             continue; // ignore default/deleted constructors
         const bool emptyBody = (f.functionScope && Token::simpleMatch(f.functionScope->bodyStart, "{ }"));
 
-        const Token* nextToken = f.argDef->link();
+        const Token* nextToken = f.argDef ? f.argDef->link() : nullptr;
         if (Token::simpleMatch(nextToken, ") :")) {
             // validating initialization list
             nextToken = nextToken->next(); // goto ":"