diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2026-03-06-20-17-45.gh-issue-145376.0F7HFq.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2026-03-06-20-17-45.gh-issue-145376.0F7HFq.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..aeba8c01fcf603
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2026-03-06-20-17-45.gh-issue-145376.0F7HFq.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix null pointer dereference in unusual error scenario in :mod:`hashlib`.
diff --git a/Modules/md5module.c b/Modules/md5module.c
index 7d41f0a3a5145d..c56fa5fc13e32e 100644
--- a/Modules/md5module.c
+++ b/Modules/md5module.c
@@ -84,7 +84,10 @@ MD5_traverse(PyObject *ptr, visitproc visit, void *arg)
 static void
 MD5_dealloc(MD5object *ptr)
 {
-    Hacl_Hash_MD5_free(ptr->hash_state);
+    if (ptr->hash_state != NULL) {
+        Hacl_Hash_MD5_free(ptr->hash_state);
+        ptr->hash_state = NULL;
+    }
     PyTypeObject *tp = Py_TYPE((PyObject*)ptr);
     PyObject_GC_UnTrack(ptr);
     PyObject_GC_Del(ptr);