diff --git a/config/config_loader.go b/config/config_loader.go
index 716e3d089b05d5a16b035a2747813ede891f81c7..0b48761fd63b713b66f7b1b92f62b682dda5c927 100644
--- a/config/config_loader.go
+++ b/config/config_loader.go
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func checkRegistries(registries map[string]*RegistryConfig, singleRegistry *Regi
 }
 
 func checkApplicationName(config *ApplicationConfig) {
-	if len(config.Name) == 0 {
+	if config == nil || len(config.Name) == 0 {
 		errMsg := "application config must not be nil, pls check your configuration"
 		logger.Errorf(errMsg)
 		panic(errMsg)