diff --git a/Python/initconfig.c b/Python/initconfig.c
index cda4c863736..9f04e3d183a 100644
--- a/Python/initconfig.c
+++ b/Python/initconfig.c
@@ -2547,6 +2547,7 @@ init_dump_ascii_wstr(const wchar_t *str)
 {
     if (str == NULL) {
         PySys_WriteStderr("(not set)");
+        return;
     }
 
     PySys_WriteStderr("'");