diff --git a/src/printer_data.c b/src/printer_data.c
index 1cdc0c2..05a0ef0 100644
--- a/src/printer_data.c
+++ b/src/printer_data.c
@@ -56,12 +56,14 @@
     /* reset the number of printed bytes */
     out->func_printed = 0;
 
-    /* get first top-level sibling */
-    while (root->parent) {
-        root = (struct lyd_node *)root->parent;
-    }
-    while (root->prev->next) {
-        root = root->prev;
+    if (root) {
+        /* get first top-level sibling */
+        while (root->parent) {
+            root = (struct lyd_node *)root->parent;
+        }
+        while (root->prev->next) {
+            root = root->prev;
+        }
     }
 
     /* print each top-level sibling */
diff --git a/src/printer_json.c b/src/printer_json.c
index d002da1..0f77615 100644
--- a/src/printer_json.c
+++ b/src/printer_json.c
@@ -858,6 +858,12 @@
     struct jsonpr_ctx ctx = {0};
     const char *delimiter = (options & LYD_PRINT_FORMAT) ? "\n" : "";
 
+    if (!root) {
+        ly_print_(out, "{}%s", delimiter);
+        ly_print_flush(out);
+        return LY_SUCCESS;
+    }
+
     ctx.out = out;
     ctx.level = 1;
     ctx.level_printed = 0;