diff --git a/appl/telnet/telnetd/sys_term.c b/appl/telnet/telnetd/sys_term.c
index 14c7a1d48..d38ae20e6 100644
--- a/appl/telnet/telnetd/sys_term.c
+++ b/appl/telnet/telnetd/sys_term.c
@@ -1289,6 +1289,11 @@ start_login(const char *host, int autologin, char *name)
     char *user;
     int save_errno;
 
+#ifdef ENCRYPTION
+    encrypt_output = NULL;
+    decrypt_input = NULL;
+#endif
+    
 #ifdef HAVE_UTMPX_H
     int pid = getpid();
     struct utmpx utmpx;