diff --git a/vault/identity_store_util.go b/vault/identity_store_util.go
index 56956a482d46..ecac90ba56e4 100644
--- a/vault/identity_store_util.go
+++ b/vault/identity_store_util.go
@@ -1868,7 +1868,7 @@ func (i *IdentityStore) refreshExternalGroupMembershipsByEntityID(entityID strin
 
 		// If the external group is from a different mount, don't remove the
 		// entity ID from it.
-		if mountAccessor != "" && group.Alias.MountAccessor != mountAccessor {
+		if mountAccessor != "" && group.Alias != nil && group.Alias.MountAccessor != mountAccessor {
 			continue
 		}