diff --git a/lib/_tls_wrap.js b/lib/_tls_wrap.js
index 7516c4c9b11c0b..bf8c097aa876ae 100644
--- a/lib/_tls_wrap.js
+++ b/lib/_tls_wrap.js
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ const defaultSessionIdContext = getDefaultSessionIdContext();
 function getDefaultSessionIdContext() {
   var defaultText = process.argv.join(' ');
   /* SSL_MAX_SID_CTX_LENGTH is 128 bits */
-  if (process.config.variables.openssl_fips) {
+  if (process.config &&
+        process.config variables &&
+        process.config.variables.openssl_fips) {
     return crypto.createHash('sha1')
       .update(defaultText)
       .digest('hex').slice(0, 32);