--- a/libguile/smob.c
+++ b/libguile/smob.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* Copyright (C) 1995,1996,1998,1999,2000,2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+/* Copyright (C) 1995,1996,1998,1999,2000,2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
  * 
  * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
  * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ smob_mark (GC_word *addr, struct GC_ms_entry *mark_stack_ptr,
 				     mark_stack_ptr,
 				     mark_stack_limit, NULL);
 
-  if (scm_smobs[smobnum].mark)
+  if (scm_smobs[smobnum].mark && SCM_I_CURRENT_THREAD != NULL)
     {
       SCM obj;