diff --git a/src/pcre2_substring.c b/src/pcre2_substring.c
index f59a5e39b..d0f05c20c 100644
--- a/src/pcre2_substring.c
+++ b/src/pcre2_substring.c
@@ -79,6 +79,13 @@ pcre2_substring_copy_byname(pcre2_match_data *match_data, PCRE2_SPTR stringname,
   if (match_data->matchedby == PCRE2_MATCHEDBY_DFA_INTERPRETER)
     return PCRE2_ERROR_DFA_UFUNC;
 
+  if (match_data->rc < 0)
+    return match_data->rc;
+
+  /* Preconditions on argument state */
+
+  PCRE2_ASSERT(match_data->code != NULL);
+
   PCRE2_SPTR first, last;
   int entrysize = pcre2_substring_nametable_scan(match_data->code, stringname, &first, &last);
   if (entrysize < 0)
@@ -185,6 +192,13 @@ pcre2_substring_get_byname(pcre2_match_data *match_data, PCRE2_SPTR stringname,
   if (match_data->matchedby == PCRE2_MATCHEDBY_DFA_INTERPRETER)
     return PCRE2_ERROR_DFA_UFUNC;
 
+  if (match_data->rc < 0)
+    return match_data->rc;
+
+  /* Preconditions on argument state */
+
+  PCRE2_ASSERT(match_data->code != NULL);
+
   PCRE2_SPTR first, last;
   int entrysize = pcre2_substring_nametable_scan(match_data->code, stringname, &first, &last);
   if (entrysize < 0)
@@ -316,6 +330,13 @@ pcre2_substring_length_byname(pcre2_match_data *match_data, PCRE2_SPTR stringnam
   if (match_data->matchedby == PCRE2_MATCHEDBY_DFA_INTERPRETER)
     return PCRE2_ERROR_DFA_UFUNC;
 
+  if (match_data->rc < 0)
+    return match_data->rc;
+
+  /* Preconditions on argument state */
+
+  PCRE2_ASSERT(match_data->code != NULL);
+
   PCRE2_SPTR first, last;
   int entrysize = pcre2_substring_nametable_scan(match_data->code, stringname, &first, &last);
   if (entrysize < 0)
diff --git a/src/pcre2test_inc.h b/src/pcre2test_inc.h
index b13155774..262fd038d 100644
--- a/src/pcre2test_inc.h
+++ b/src/pcre2test_inc.h
@@ -7108,6 +7108,23 @@ unittest(void)
   rc = pcre2_substring_get_bynumber(test_match_data, 1, &sptrval, &sizeval);
   ASSERT(rc == PCRE2_ERROR_NOMATCH && sptrval == NULL, "pcre2_substring_get_bynumber(no match)");
 
+  /* Test after an early match failure where match_data->code was not set. */
+
+  pcre2_match_data_free(test_match_data);
+  test_match_data = pcre2_match_data_create(10, NULL);
+  ASSERT(test_match_data != NULL, "pcre2_match_data_create(early failure)");
+
+  rc = pcre2_match(test_compiled_code, subject_abcz, 4, 10, 0, test_match_data, NULL);
+  ASSERT(rc == PCRE2_ERROR_BADOFFSET, "pcre2_match(badoffset)");
+
+  sizeval = 4;
+  rc = pcre2_substring_copy_byname(test_match_data, name_n, copy_buf, &sizeval);
+  ASSERT(rc == PCRE2_ERROR_BADOFFSET, "pcre2_substring_copy_byname(early failure)");
+  rc = pcre2_substring_get_byname(test_match_data, name_n, &sptrval, &sizeval);
+  ASSERT(rc == PCRE2_ERROR_BADOFFSET && sptrval == NULL, "pcre2_substring_get_byname(early failure)");
+  rc = pcre2_substring_length_byname(test_match_data, name_n, &sizeval);
+  ASSERT(rc == PCRE2_ERROR_BADOFFSET, "pcre2_substring_length_byname(early failure)");
+
   /* ------------- pcre2_substitute with PCRE2_SUBSTITUTE_MATCHED ------------ */
 
   /* There are some specific edge cases here that would be a pain to exercise via