diff --git a/node/pkg/governor/governor_db.go b/node/pkg/governor/governor_db.go
index b7414dd2b..b47f650d3 100644
--- a/node/pkg/governor/governor_db.go
+++ b/node/pkg/governor/governor_db.go
@@ -89,6 +89,10 @@ func (gov *ChainGovernor) reloadPendingTransfer(pending *db.PendingTransfer, now
 
 	payload, err := vaa.DecodeTransferPayloadHdr(msg.Payload)
 	if err != nil {
+		if payload == nil {
+			// avoid nil ptr deref
+			payload = &vaa.TransferPayloadHdr{}
+		}
 		gov.logger.Error("failed to parse payload for reloaded pending transfer, dropping it",
 			zap.String("MsgID", msg.MessageIDString()),
 			zap.Stringer("TxHash", msg.TxHash),