diff --git a/src/library/type_context.cpp b/src/library/type_context.cpp
index e1f16e9911..01412358e1 100644
--- a/src/library/type_context.cpp
+++ b/src/library/type_context.cpp
@@ -209,10 +209,11 @@ type_context::~type_context() {
 
 name type_context::get_local_pp_name(expr const & e) const {
     lean_assert(is_local(e));
-    if (is_local_decl_ref(e))
-        return m_lctx.get_local_decl(e)->get_pp_name();
-    else
-        return local_pp_name(e);
+    if (is_local_decl_ref(e)) {
+        if (auto d = m_lctx.get_local_decl(e))
+            return d->get_pp_name();
+    }
+    return local_pp_name(e);
 }
 
 expr type_context::push_local(name const & pp_name, expr const & type, binder_info const & bi) {