diff --git a/src/sot_loader.cpp b/src/sot_loader.cpp
index ae0f3639bdae4c8bbad917e76c560892285b89ae..7bd11789ebf91e5bb05f19911acee3768b8920bd 100644
--- a/src/sot_loader.cpp
+++ b/src/sot_loader.cpp
@@ -199,6 +199,7 @@ void SotLoader::readControl(map<string, dgs::ControlValues> &controlValues) {
 }
 
 void SotLoader::setup() {
+  if (sotController_ == NULL) return;
   fillSensors(sensorsIn_);
   sotController_->setupSetSensors(sensorsIn_);
   sotController_->getControl(controlValues_);
@@ -206,6 +207,8 @@ void SotLoader::setup() {
 }
 
 void SotLoader::oneIteration() {
+  if (sotController_ == NULL) return;
+
   fillSensors(sensorsIn_);
   try {
     sotController_->nominalSetSensors(sensorsIn_);