diff --git a/apps/lib/cmp_mock_srv.c b/apps/lib/cmp_mock_srv.c
index ce62af2b007aa4..516b1870b0ebb2 100644
--- a/apps/lib/cmp_mock_srv.c
+++ b/apps/lib/cmp_mock_srv.c
@@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ static OSSL_CMP_ITAV *process_genm_itav(mock_srv_ctx *ctx, int req_nid,
             if (!OSSL_CMP_ITAV_get0_rootCaCert(req, &rootcacert))
                 return NULL;
 
-            if (rootcacert != NULL
+            if (rootcacert != NULL && ctx->newWithNew != NULL
                 && X509_NAME_cmp(X509_get_subject_name(rootcacert),
                                  X509_get_subject_name(ctx->newWithNew)) != 0)
                 /* The subjects do not match */