diff --git a/channeldb/addr.go b/channeldb/addr.go
index 0d40099e6..18e8bba1f 100644
--- a/channeldb/addr.go
+++ b/channeldb/addr.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package channeldb
 import (
 	"encoding/binary"
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"net"
 
@@ -43,6 +44,10 @@ func encodeTCPAddr(w io.Writer, addr *net.TCPAddr) error {
 		ip = addr.IP.To16()
 	}
 
+	if ip == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("unable to encode IP %v", addr.IP)
+	}
+
 	if _, err := w.Write([]byte{addrType}); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}