diff --git a/layout/svg/base/src/nsSVGTextFrame.cpp b/layout/svg/base/src/nsSVGTextFrame.cpp
index c67c3cf5e3a7..bb9a8707c363 100644
--- a/layout/svg/base/src/nsSVGTextFrame.cpp
+++ b/layout/svg/base/src/nsSVGTextFrame.cpp
@@ -406,6 +406,10 @@ nsSVGTextFrame::UpdateGlyphPositioning(PRBool aForceGlobalTransform)
     // check for startOffset on textPath
     nsSVGTextPathFrame *textPath = firstFragment->FindTextPathParent();
     if (textPath) {
+      if (!textPath->GetPathFrame()) {
+        // invalid text path, give up
+        return;
+      }
       x = textPath->GetStartOffset();
     }