diff --git a/changelog.txt b/changelog.txt
index 6d7a687..130ce14 100644
--- a/changelog.txt
+++ b/changelog.txt
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ chg: with r_backend GL3, depth fade with MSAA now requires GLSL 4.00 at a minimu
 
 chg: with r_backend GL3, alpha to coverage now requires GLSL 4.00 at a minimum
 
+fix: the Linux/FreeBSD client could crash during start-up
+
 fix: with r_backend D3D11, the alpha channel's blend factors now match the original Q3 behavior
   this affects shaders that use the following blendFunc modes: GL_DST_ALPHA, GL_ONE_MINUS_DST_ALPHA
   examples: jumppads on cpm3a and cpmctf3, jumppad trims on q3wcp14, shiny walls on q3wcp9
diff --git a/code/linux/sdl_core.cpp b/code/linux/sdl_core.cpp
index 4a0df93..04b8ef2 100644
--- a/code/linux/sdl_core.cpp
+++ b/code/linux/sdl_core.cpp
@@ -370,13 +370,18 @@ static void sdl_X11( const XEvent* event )
 
 static void sdl_Event( const SDL_Event* event )
 {
+	// Note that CVar checks are necessary here because event polling
+	// can actually start before the main loop does,
+	// i.e. CVars can be uninitialized by the time we get here.
+
 	switch (event->type) {
 	case SDL_QUIT:
 		Com_Quit(0);
 		break;
 
 	case SDL_KEYDOWN:
-		if (sdl_focused && Sys_Milliseconds() - sdl_focusTime >= in_focusDelay->integer)
+		// the CVar check means we'll ignore all keydown events until the main loop starts
+		if (in_focusDelay != NULL && sdl_focused && Sys_Milliseconds() - sdl_focusTime >= in_focusDelay->integer)
 			sdl_Key(&event->key, qtrue);
 		break;