diff --git a/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp b/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp
index 4930e81e9a..e73af5b77a 100644
--- a/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp
@@ -396,7 +396,11 @@ void CommonCLI::handleCommand(uint32_t sender_timestamp, char* command, char* re
         bool enabled = l->isEnabled(); // is EN pin on ?
         bool fix = l->isValid();       // has fix ?
         int sats = l->satellitesCount();
-        bool active = !strcmp(_sensors->getSettingByKey("gps"), "1");
+        // getSettingByKey() returns NULL when no "gps" setting is registered
+        // (no GPS detected at boot) -- treat that as "deactivated" rather than
+        // handing strcmp() a NULL, which crashes.
+        const char* gps_setting = _sensors->getSettingByKey("gps");
+        bool active = gps_setting != NULL && strcmp(gps_setting, "1") == 0;
         if (enabled) {
           sprintf(reply, "on, %s, %s, %d sats",
             active?"active":"deactivated",