diff --git a/libsepol/src/kernel_to_cil.c b/libsepol/src/kernel_to_cil.c
index 81427e65..305567a5 100644
--- a/libsepol/src/kernel_to_cil.c
+++ b/libsepol/src/kernel_to_cil.c
@@ -2497,9 +2497,10 @@ static int write_user_decl_rules_to_cil(FILE *out, struct policydb *pdb)
 		sepol_printf(out, ")\n");
 	}
 
-	strs_destroy(&strs);
-
 exit:
+	if (strs)
+		strs_destroy(&strs);
+
 	if (rc != 0) {
 		sepol_log_err("Error writing user declarations to CIL\n");
 	}
diff --git a/libsepol/src/kernel_to_conf.c b/libsepol/src/kernel_to_conf.c
index 179f0ad1..eb72e4ac 100644
--- a/libsepol/src/kernel_to_conf.c
+++ b/libsepol/src/kernel_to_conf.c
@@ -2375,9 +2375,10 @@ static int write_user_decl_rules_to_conf(FILE *out, struct policydb *pdb)
 		sepol_printf(out, ";\n");
 	}
 
-	strs_destroy(&strs);
-
 exit:
+	if (strs)
+		strs_destroy(&strs);
+
 	if (rc != 0) {
 		sepol_log_err("Error writing user declarations to policy.conf\n");
 	}