diff --git a/crypto/asn1/t_x509.c b/crypto/asn1/t_x509.c
index 314bdfb1c7..89ae73a6de 100644
--- a/crypto/asn1/t_x509.c
+++ b/crypto/asn1/t_x509.c
@@ -349,6 +349,8 @@ int X509_NAME_print(BIO *bp, X509_NAME *name, int obase)
 	ll=80-2-obase;
 
 	s=X509_NAME_oneline(name,buf,256);
+	if (!*s)
+		return 1;
 	s++; /* skip the first slash */
 
 	l=ll;