diff --git a/src/util/virbitmap.c b/src/util/virbitmap.c
index bdcbd0aece..48ffed0a0f 100644
--- a/src/util/virbitmap.c
+++ b/src/util/virbitmap.c
@@ -824,6 +824,9 @@ virBitmapNextSetBit(virBitmap *bitmap,
     size_t nb;
     unsigned long bits;
 
+    if (!bitmap)
+        return -1;
+
     if (pos < 0)
         pos = -1;
 
@@ -863,6 +866,9 @@ virBitmapLastSetBit(virBitmap *bitmap)
     ssize_t sz;
     unsigned long bits;
 
+    if (!bitmap)
+        return -1;
+
     /* If bitmap is empty then there is no set bit */
     if (bitmap->map_len == 0)
         return -1;
@@ -916,6 +922,9 @@ virBitmapNextClearBit(virBitmap *bitmap,
     size_t nb;
     unsigned long bits;
 
+    if (!bitmap)
+        return -1;
+
     if (pos < 0)
         pos = -1;
 
diff --git a/src/util/virbitmap.h b/src/util/virbitmap.h
index dbd88c9bb5..a9cf309884 100644
--- a/src/util/virbitmap.h
+++ b/src/util/virbitmap.h
@@ -111,14 +111,11 @@ bool virBitmapIsAllSet(virBitmap *bitmap)
 bool virBitmapIsAllClear(virBitmap *bitmap)
     ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(1);
 
-ssize_t virBitmapNextSetBit(virBitmap *bitmap, ssize_t pos)
-    ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(1);
+ssize_t virBitmapNextSetBit(virBitmap *bitmap, ssize_t pos);
 
-ssize_t virBitmapLastSetBit(virBitmap *bitmap)
-    ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(1);
+ssize_t virBitmapLastSetBit(virBitmap *bitmap);
 
-ssize_t virBitmapNextClearBit(virBitmap *bitmap, ssize_t pos)
-    ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(1);
+ssize_t virBitmapNextClearBit(virBitmap *bitmap, ssize_t pos);
 
 size_t virBitmapCountBits(virBitmap *bitmap)
     ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(1);