diff --git a/lib/krb5/send_to_kdc.c b/lib/krb5/send_to_kdc.c
index 5a1a68791..459e1380a 100644
--- a/lib/krb5/send_to_kdc.c
+++ b/lib/krb5/send_to_kdc.c
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ krb5_sendto_kdc (krb5_context context,
 	       if (colon)
 		    *colon = '\0';
 	       hostent = gethostbyname (p);
+	       if(hostent == NULL)
+		   continue;
 	       if (colon)
 		    *colon++ = ':';
 	       while ((addr = *hostent->h_addr_list++)) {