diff --git a/tcp.c b/tcp.c
index 92cefab..1820e19 100644
--- a/tcp.c
+++ b/tcp.c
@@ -2729,7 +2729,7 @@ int tcp_tap_handler(struct ctx *c, int af, const void *addr,
 
 	/* New connection from tap */
 	if (!conn) {
-		if (th->syn && !th->ack)
+		if (opts && th->syn && !th->ack)
 			tcp_conn_from_tap(c, af, addr, th, opts, optlen, now);
 		return 1;
 	}