diff --git a/plugins/stats_over_http/stats_over_http.c b/plugins/stats_over_http/stats_over_http.c
index 1d1e40bec67..3d348c95985 100644
--- a/plugins/stats_over_http/stats_over_http.c
+++ b/plugins/stats_over_http/stats_over_http.c
@@ -1005,7 +1005,7 @@ load_config_file(config_holder_t *config_holder)
     fh = TSfopen(config_holder->config_path, "r");
   }
 
-  if (!fh) {
+  if (!fh && config_holder->config_path != NULL) {
     TSError("[%s] Unable to open config: %s. Will use the param as the path, or %s if null\n", PLUGIN_NAME,
             config_holder->config_path, DEFAULT_URL_PATH);
     if (config_holder->config) {