diff --git a/clients/cli/connections.c b/clients/cli/connections.c
index 7f69dddf9..9ace7094d 100644
--- a/clients/cli/connections.c
+++ b/clients/cli/connections.c
@@ -7269,6 +7269,10 @@ editor_menu_main (NmCli *nmc, NMConnection *connection, const char *connection_t
                                        ss = menu_ctx.curr_setting;
 
                                if (descr_all) {
+                                       if (!ss) {
+                                               g_print (_("Error: invalid setting argument (null); valid are [%s]\n"), valid_settings_str);
+                                               break;
+                                       }
                                        /* Show description for all properties */
                                        print_setting_description (ss);
                                } else {
