diff --git a/flang/lib/Evaluate/check-expression.cpp b/flang/lib/Evaluate/check-expression.cpp
index 64b118a54aa7..06be4da621bc 100644
--- a/flang/lib/Evaluate/check-expression.cpp
+++ b/flang/lib/Evaluate/check-expression.cpp
@@ -270,9 +270,6 @@ public:
     return false;
   }
   bool operator()(const StructureConstructor &) const { return false; }
-  template <typename T> bool operator()(const FunctionRef<T> &) {
-    return false;
-  }
   template <typename D, typename R, typename... O>
   bool operator()(const Operation<D, R, O...> &) const {
     return false;
@@ -280,7 +277,11 @@ public:
   template <typename T> bool operator()(const Parentheses<T> &x) const {
     return (*this)(x.left());
   }
-  template <typename T> bool operator()(const FunctionRef<T> &x) const {
+  bool operator()(const ProcedureRef &x) const {
+    if (const SpecificIntrinsic * intrinsic{x.proc().GetSpecificIntrinsic()}) {
+      return intrinsic->characteristics.value().attrs.test(
+          characteristics::Procedure::Attr::NullPointer);
+    }
     return false;
   }
   bool operator()(const Relational<SomeType> &) const { return false; }
@@ -557,7 +558,7 @@ public:
     return std::nullopt;
   }
 
-  template <typename T> Result operator()(const FunctionRef<T> &x) const {
+  Result operator()(const ProcedureRef &x) const {
     if (const auto *symbol{x.proc().GetSymbol()}) {
       const Symbol &ultimate{symbol->GetUltimate()};
       if (!semantics::IsPureProcedure(ultimate)) {
@@ -708,7 +709,7 @@ public:
   Result operator()(const ComplexPart &) const { return false; }
   Result operator()(const Substring &) const { return false; }
 
-  template <typename T> Result operator()(const FunctionRef<T> &x) const {
+  Result operator()(const ProcedureRef &x) const {
     if (auto chars{
             characteristics::Procedure::Characterize(x.proc(), context_)}) {
       if (chars->functionResult) {
diff --git a/flang/lib/Semantics/expression.cpp b/flang/lib/Semantics/expression.cpp
index 7b8da73f404c..405ca251fa86 100644
--- a/flang/lib/Semantics/expression.cpp
+++ b/flang/lib/Semantics/expression.cpp
@@ -3108,7 +3108,9 @@ bool ExpressionAnalyzer::EnforceTypeConstraint(parser::CharBlock at,
 MaybeExpr ExpressionAnalyzer::MakeFunctionRef(parser::CharBlock callSite,
     ProcedureDesignator &&proc, ActualArguments &&arguments) {
   if (const auto *intrinsic{std::get_if<SpecificIntrinsic>(&proc.u)}) {
-    if (intrinsic->name == "null" && arguments.empty()) {
+    if (intrinsic->characteristics.value().attrs.test(
+            characteristics::Procedure::Attr::NullPointer) &&
+        arguments.empty()) {
       return Expr<SomeType>{NullPointer{}};
     }
   }