diff --git a/_py/test/plugin/pytest_skipping.py b/_py/test/plugin/pytest_skipping.py
index a0388e847..d6a787cec 100644
--- a/_py/test/plugin/pytest_skipping.py
+++ b/_py/test/plugin/pytest_skipping.py
@@ -175,7 +175,8 @@ def getexpression(item, keyword):
         if cls and hasattr(cls.obj, keyword):
             return getattr(cls.obj, keyword)
         mod = item.getparent(py.test.collect.Module)
-        return getattr(mod.obj, keyword, None)
+        if mod:
+            return getattr(mod.obj, keyword, None)
 
 def evalexpression(item, keyword):
     expr = getexpression(item, keyword)
diff --git a/testing/pytest/plugin/test_pytest_skipping.py b/testing/pytest/plugin/test_pytest_skipping.py
index 019fb1e3c..24cc27d2c 100644
--- a/testing/pytest/plugin/test_pytest_skipping.py
+++ b/testing/pytest/plugin/test_pytest_skipping.py
@@ -110,6 +110,9 @@ def test_getexpression(testdir):
 
     assert getexpression(item2, 'just')
 
+    item2.parent = None
+    assert not getexpression(item2, 'nada') 
+
 def test_evalexpression_cls_config_example(testdir):
     from _py.test.plugin.pytest_skipping import evalexpression
     item, = testdir.getitems("""