diff -r 04a8c494905b -r 6bb47e6b28d2 src/dev/i8254xGBe.hh
--- a/src/dev/i8254xGBe.hh	Mon Feb 09 09:08:29 2015 +0000
+++ b/src/dev/i8254xGBe.hh	Mon Feb 09 09:08:30 2015 +0000
@@ -182,31 +182,38 @@
     void checkDrain();
 
     void anBegin(std::string sm, std::string st, int flags = CPA::FL_NONE) {
-        cpa->hwBegin((CPA::flags)flags, sys, macAddr, sm, st);
+        if (cpa)
+            cpa->hwBegin((CPA::flags)flags, sys, macAddr, sm, st);
     }
 
-    void anQ(std::string sm, std::string q) { 
-        cpa->hwQ(CPA::FL_NONE, sys, macAddr, sm, q, macAddr);
+    void anQ(std::string sm, std::string q) {
+        if (cpa)
+            cpa->hwQ(CPA::FL_NONE, sys, macAddr, sm, q, macAddr);
     }
 
     void anDq(std::string sm, std::string q) {
-        cpa->hwDq(CPA::FL_NONE, sys, macAddr, sm, q, macAddr);
+        if (cpa)
+            cpa->hwDq(CPA::FL_NONE, sys, macAddr, sm, q, macAddr);
     }
 
     void anPq(std::string sm, std::string q, int num = 1) {
-        cpa->hwPq(CPA::FL_NONE, sys, macAddr, sm, q, macAddr, NULL, num);
+        if (cpa)
+            cpa->hwPq(CPA::FL_NONE, sys, macAddr, sm, q, macAddr, NULL, num);
     }
 
     void anRq(std::string sm, std::string q, int num = 1) {
-        cpa->hwRq(CPA::FL_NONE, sys, macAddr, sm, q, macAddr, NULL, num);
+        if (cpa)
+            cpa->hwRq(CPA::FL_NONE, sys, macAddr, sm, q, macAddr, NULL, num);
     }
 
     void anWe(std::string sm, std::string q) {
-        cpa->hwWe(CPA::FL_NONE, sys, macAddr, sm, q, macAddr);
+        if (cpa)
+            cpa->hwWe(CPA::FL_NONE, sys, macAddr, sm, q, macAddr);
     }
 
     void anWf(std::string sm, std::string q) {
-        cpa->hwWf(CPA::FL_NONE, sys, macAddr, sm, q, macAddr);
+        if (cpa)
+            cpa->hwWf(CPA::FL_NONE, sys, macAddr, sm, q, macAddr);
     }
 
 
diff -r 04a8c494905b -r 6bb47e6b28d2 src/dev/i8254xGBe.cc
--- a/src/dev/i8254xGBe.cc	Mon Feb 09 09:08:29 2015 +0000
+++ b/src/dev/i8254xGBe.cc	Mon Feb 09 09:08:30 2015 +0000
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
 using namespace Net;
 
 IGbE::IGbE(const Params *p)
-    : EtherDevice(p), etherInt(NULL),  drainManager(NULL),
+    : EtherDevice(p), etherInt(NULL), cpa(NULL), drainManager(NULL),
       rxFifo(p->rx_fifo_size), txFifo(p->tx_fifo_size), rxTick(false),
       txTick(false), txFifoTick(false), rxDmaPacket(false), pktOffset(0),
       fetchDelay(p->fetch_delay), wbDelay(p->wb_delay), 
@@ -2390,7 +2390,7 @@
 
     anPq("TXQ", "TX FIFO Q");
     if (etherInt->sendPacket(txFifo.front())) {
-        cpa->hwQ(CPA::FL_NONE, sys, macAddr, "TXQ", "WireQ", 0);
+        anQ("TXQ", "WireQ");
         if (DTRACE(EthernetSM)) {
             IpPtr ip(txFifo.front());
             if (ip)