diff --git a/lib/url.c b/lib/url.c
index 46c8fb5fb..335889903 100644
--- a/lib/url.c
+++ b/lib/url.c
@@ -1686,6 +1686,8 @@ static bool is_ASCII_name(const char *hostname)
 static void strip_trailing_dot(struct hostname *host)
 {
   size_t len;
+  if(!host || !host->name)
+    return;
   len = strlen(host->name);
   if(len && (host->name[len-1] == '.'))
     host->name[len-1] = 0;