diff --git a/kernel/time/hrtimer.c b/kernel/time/hrtimer.c
index 5502c687bd40..bdd9041d595e 100644
--- a/kernel/time/hrtimer.c
+++ b/kernel/time/hrtimer.c
@@ -1284,6 +1284,8 @@ void hrtimer_start_range_ns(struct hrtimer *timer, ktime_t tim,
 	struct hrtimer_clock_base *base;
 	unsigned long flags;
 
+	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!timer->function))
+		return;
 	/*
 	 * Check whether the HRTIMER_MODE_SOFT bit and hrtimer.is_soft
 	 * match on CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT = n. With PREEMPT_RT check the hard