diff --git a/src/gui/kernel/qguiapplication.cpp b/src/gui/kernel/qguiapplication.cpp
index a67214bd9a..5014878bd2 100644
--- a/src/gui/kernel/qguiapplication.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/kernel/qguiapplication.cpp
@@ -3233,9 +3233,12 @@ void QGuiApplication::setPalette(const QPalette &pal)
         QGuiApplicationPrivate::app_pal = new QPalette(pal);
     else
         *QGuiApplicationPrivate::app_pal = pal;
+
     applicationResourceFlags |= ApplicationPaletteExplicitlySet;
     QCoreApplication::setAttribute(Qt::AA_SetPalette);
-    emit qGuiApp->paletteChanged(*QGuiApplicationPrivate::app_pal);
+
+    if (qGuiApp)
+        emit qGuiApp->paletteChanged(*QGuiApplicationPrivate::app_pal);
 }
 
 void QGuiApplicationPrivate::applyWindowGeometrySpecificationTo(QWindow *window)