diff --git a/drivers/md/bcache/journal.c b/drivers/md/bcache/journal.c
index 6e18057d1d82..5180bed911ef 100644
--- a/drivers/md/bcache/journal.c
+++ b/drivers/md/bcache/journal.c
@@ -541,11 +541,11 @@ static void journal_reclaim(struct cache_set *c)
 				  ca->sb.nr_this_dev);
 	}
 
-	bkey_init(k);
-	SET_KEY_PTRS(k, n);
-
-	if (n)
+	if (n) {
+		bkey_init(k);
+		SET_KEY_PTRS(k, n);
 		c->journal.blocks_free = c->sb.bucket_size >> c->block_bits;
+	}
 out:
 	if (!journal_full(&c->journal))
 		__closure_wake_up(&c->journal.wait);
@@ -672,6 +672,9 @@ static void journal_write_unlocked(struct closure *cl)
 		ca->journal.seq[ca->journal.cur_idx] = w->data->seq;
 	}
 
+	/* If KEY_PTRS(k) == 0, this jset gets lost in air */
+	BUG_ON(i == 0);
+
 	atomic_dec_bug(&fifo_back(&c->journal.pin));
 	bch_journal_next(&c->journal);
 	journal_reclaim(c);