diff --git a/nimble/host/src/ble_hs.c b/nimble/host/src/ble_hs.c
index 5db1ea654..963c6e9a9 100644
--- a/nimble/host/src/ble_hs.c
+++ b/nimble/host/src/ble_hs.c
@@ -213,6 +213,7 @@ static struct ble_npl_callout ble_hs_timer;
 static struct ble_mqueue ble_hs_rx_q;
 
 static struct ble_npl_mutex ble_hs_mutex;
+static bool ble_hs_initialized;
 #endif // BLE_STATIC_TO_DYNAMIC
 
 STATS_SECT_DECL(ble_hs_stats) ble_hs_stats;
@@ -1045,6 +1046,9 @@ ble_hs_init(void)
 #endif
     /* Initialize npl variables related to hs flow control */
     ble_hs_flow_init();
+#if !MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_STATIC_TO_DYNAMIC)
+    ble_hs_initialized = true;
+#endif
 }
 
 /* Transport APIs for HS side */
@@ -1092,6 +1096,11 @@ ble_hs_deinit(void)
     if (!ble_hs_ctx) {
         return;
     }
+#else
+    if (!ble_hs_initialized) {
+        return;
+    }
+    ble_hs_initialized = false;
 #endif
     ble_hs_flow_deinit();
 
diff --git a/porting/nimble/src/nimble_port.c b/porting/nimble/src/nimble_port.c
index a7ad7a516..a180dab78 100644
--- a/porting/nimble/src/nimble_port.c
+++ b/porting/nimble/src/nimble_port.c
@@ -510,6 +510,22 @@ IRAM_ATTR
 void nimble_port_run(void)
 {
     struct ble_npl_event *ev;
+
+#if MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_STATIC_TO_DYNAMIC)
+    if (ble_npl_ctx == NULL) {
+        ESP_LOGE(NIMBLE_PORT_LOG_TAG, "nimble context not initialized, host task exiting");
+        return;
+    }
+#endif
+#if CONFIG_BT_DUAL_MODE_ARCH
+    if (g_eventq_dflt.eventq.eventq == NULL) {
+#else
+    if (g_eventq_dflt.eventq == NULL) {
+#endif
+        ESP_LOGE(NIMBLE_PORT_LOG_TAG, "nimble event queue not initialized, host task exiting");
+        return;
+    }
+
     /* Cache addresses before entering the loop. When BLE_STATIC_TO_DYNAMIC is
      * enabled these macros dereference ble_npl_ctx; caching prevents a race
      * where ble_npl_ctx is freed between the stop-event callback returning and
diff --git a/porting/npl/freertos/src/npl_os_freertos.c b/porting/npl/freertos/src/npl_os_freertos.c
index 492fed4f4..df8447e00 100644
--- a/porting/npl/freertos/src/npl_os_freertos.c
+++ b/porting/npl/freertos/src/npl_os_freertos.c
@@ -353,7 +353,9 @@ npl_freertos_eventq_deinit(struct ble_npl_eventq *evq)
     struct ble_npl_eventq_freertos *eventq = (struct ble_npl_eventq_freertos *)evq->eventq;
     struct ble_npl_event *ev;
 
-    BLE_LL_ASSERT(eventq);
+    if (!eventq) {
+        return;
+    }
 
     /* Drain the queue and clear the queued flag on all events */
     while (uxQueueMessagesWaiting(eventq->q) > 0) {
@@ -518,6 +520,10 @@ npl_freertos_eventq_get(struct ble_npl_eventq *evq, ble_npl_time_t tmo)
     BaseType_t woken = pdFALSE;
     BaseType_t ret;
 
+    if (!eventq) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
     if (in_isr()) {
         BLE_LL_ASSERT(tmo == 0);
         ret = xQueueReceiveFromISR(eventq->q, &ev, &woken);