Added missing nil-check. We will get rid of the gcCompat corrections
shortly but it's still worthwhile having the new test case added.

Fixes #19056.

Change-Id: I35bd938a4d789058da15724e34c05e5e631ecad0
Reviewed-on: https://go-review.googlesource.com/36908
Run-TryBot: Robert Griesemer <gri@golang.org>
TryBot-Result: Gobot Gobot <gobot@golang.org>
Reviewed-by: Matthew Dempsky <mdempsky@google.com>