diff --git a/components/pthread/include/esp_pthread.h b/components/pthread/include/esp_pthread.h
index 45a58da34d..4eda567fcd 100644
--- a/components/pthread/include/esp_pthread.h
+++ b/components/pthread/include/esp_pthread.h
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ esp_pthread_cfg_t esp_pthread_get_default_config(void);
  * @return
  *      - ESP_OK if configuration was successfully set
  *      - ESP_ERR_NO_MEM if out of memory
+ *      - ESP_ERR_INVALID_ARG if cfg is NULL
  *      - ESP_ERR_INVALID_ARG if stack_size is less than PTHREAD_STACK_MIN
  *      - ESP_ERR_INVALID_ARG if stack_alloc_caps does not include MALLOC_CAP_8BIT
  */
@@ -79,6 +80,7 @@ esp_err_t esp_pthread_set_cfg(const esp_pthread_cfg_t *cfg);
  *
  * @return
  *      - ESP_OK if the configuration was available
+ *      - ESP_ERR_INVALID_ARG if p is NULL
  *      - ESP_ERR_NOT_FOUND if a configuration wasn't previously set
  */
 esp_err_t esp_pthread_get_cfg(esp_pthread_cfg_t *p);
diff --git a/components/pthread/port/linux/pthread.c b/components/pthread/port/linux/pthread.c
index 107733e02e..9f1d2b40a7 100644
--- a/components/pthread/port/linux/pthread.c
+++ b/components/pthread/port/linux/pthread.c
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ esp_err_t esp_pthread_set_cfg(const esp_pthread_cfg_t *cfg)
 {
     // Not checking the stack size here since PTHREAD_STACK_MIN has two conflicting declarations on Linux
 
+    if (cfg == NULL) {
+        return ESP_ERR_INVALID_ARG;
+    }
+
     // 0 is treated as default value, hence change caps to MALLOC_CAP_8BIT | MALLOC_CAP_INTERNAL in that case
     int heap_caps;
     if (cfg->stack_alloc_caps == 0) {
@@ -86,6 +90,10 @@ esp_err_t esp_pthread_set_cfg(const esp_pthread_cfg_t *cfg)
 
 esp_err_t esp_pthread_get_cfg(esp_pthread_cfg_t *p)
 {
+    if (p == NULL) {
+        return ESP_ERR_INVALID_ARG;
+    }
+
     esp_pthread_cfg_t *cfg = pthread_getspecific(s_pthread_cfg_key);
     if (cfg) {
         *p = *cfg;
diff --git a/components/pthread/pthread.c b/components/pthread/pthread.c
index 8d682a8972..0e73fe86bf 100644
--- a/components/pthread/pthread.c
+++ b/components/pthread/pthread.c
@@ -142,6 +142,10 @@ static void pthread_delete(esp_pthread_t *pthread)
 /* Call this function to configure pthread stacks in Pthreads */
 esp_err_t esp_pthread_set_cfg(const esp_pthread_cfg_t *cfg)
 {
+    if (cfg == NULL) {
+        return ESP_ERR_INVALID_ARG;
+    }
+
     if (cfg->stack_size < PTHREAD_STACK_MIN) {
         return ESP_ERR_INVALID_ARG;
     }
@@ -180,6 +184,10 @@ esp_err_t esp_pthread_set_cfg(const esp_pthread_cfg_t *cfg)
 
 esp_err_t esp_pthread_get_cfg(esp_pthread_cfg_t *p)
 {
+    if (p == NULL) {
+        return ESP_ERR_INVALID_ARG;
+    }
+
     ESP_RETURN_ON_ERROR(lazy_init_pthread_cfg_key(), TAG, "Failed to initialize pthread key");
 
     esp_pthread_cfg_t *cfg = pthread_getspecific(s_pthread_cfg_key);
diff --git a/components/pthread/test_apps/pthread_unity_tests/main/test_esp_pthread.c b/components/pthread/test_apps/pthread_unity_tests/main/test_esp_pthread.c
index e1ac3c25f6..08904349fc 100644
--- a/components/pthread/test_apps/pthread_unity_tests/main/test_esp_pthread.c
+++ b/components/pthread/test_apps/pthread_unity_tests/main/test_esp_pthread.c
@@ -18,6 +18,12 @@ TEST_CASE("esp_pthread_get_default_config creates correct stack memory capabilit
     TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL_HEX(MALLOC_CAP_8BIT | MALLOC_CAP_INTERNAL, default_config.stack_alloc_caps);
 }
 
+TEST_CASE("null pointers are rejected", "[cfg]")
+{
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_ERR_INVALID_ARG, esp_pthread_set_cfg(NULL));
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_ERR_INVALID_ARG, esp_pthread_get_cfg(NULL));
+}
+
 TEST_CASE("wrong heap caps are rejected", "[cfg]")
 {
     esp_pthread_cfg_t default_config = esp_pthread_get_default_config();