diff --git a/db/table_cache.cc b/db/table_cache.cc
index be5b9f038..99bb846e0 100644
--- a/db/table_cache.cc
+++ b/db/table_cache.cc
@@ -283,7 +283,9 @@ InternalIterator* TableCache::NewRangeTombstoneIterator(
   if (s.ok()) {
     result = table_reader->NewRangeTombstoneIterator(options);
     if (result != nullptr) {
-      result->RegisterCleanup(&UnrefEntry, cache_, handle);
+      if (handle != nullptr) {
+        result->RegisterCleanup(&UnrefEntry, cache_, handle);
+      }
     }
   }
   if (result == nullptr && handle != nullptr) {