diff --git a/isisd/isis_circuit.c b/isisd/isis_circuit.c
index 671ebbf..9a41c58 100644
--- a/isisd/isis_circuit.c
+++ b/isisd/isis_circuit.c
@@ -880,6 +880,10 @@
       return CMD_WARNING;
     }
 
+  /* XXX what to do when ip_router_isis is not executed */
+  if (circuit->area == NULL)
+    return CMD_WARNING;
+
   assert (circuit);
 
   circuit_t = string2circuit_t (argv[0]);