diff --git a/logger/zaputil/deferrer.go b/logger/zaputil/deferrer.go
index 57ea5a84c..dad28b0ae 100644
--- a/logger/zaputil/deferrer.go
+++ b/logger/zaputil/deferrer.go
@@ -48,12 +48,17 @@ func (b *Deferrer) buffer(core zapcore.Core, ent zapcore.Entry, fields []zapcore
 }
 
 func (b *Deferrer) flush() {
+	pfields := b.fields.Load()
+	if pfields == nil {
+		return
+	}
+
 	b.mu.Lock()
 	writes := b.writes
 	b.writes = nil
 	b.mu.Unlock()
 
-	fields := slices.Clone(*b.fields.Load())
+	fields := slices.Clone(*pfields)
 	n := len(fields)
 
 	for _, w := range writes {