diff --git a/lib/zlib.js b/lib/zlib.js
index 4a7c1ef153..3915e5ddab 100644
--- a/lib/zlib.js
+++ b/lib/zlib.js
@@ -474,7 +474,10 @@ function _close(engine, callback) {
 
   engine._closed = true;
 
-  engine._handle.close();
+  // Caller may invoke .close after a zlib error (which will null _handle).
+  if (engine._handle) {
+    engine._handle.close();
+  }
 }
 
 function emitCloseNT(self) {