diff --git a/src/detect-engine-state.c b/src/detect-engine-state.c
index 000936f7fd..2f2c2b4c41 100644
--- a/src/detect-engine-state.c
+++ b/src/detect-engine-state.c
@@ -1107,6 +1107,8 @@ static int DeStateSigTest08(void)
     FAIL_IF_NULL(files);
     file = files->head;
     FAIL_IF_NULL(file);
+    file = file->next;
+    FAIL_IF_NULL(file);
     FAIL_IF_NOT(file->flags & FILE_STORE);
 
     AppLayerParserThreadCtxFree(alp_tctx);