diff --git a/lib/krb5/principal.c b/lib/krb5/principal.c
index 251ba415b..807ed5d64 100644
--- a/lib/krb5/principal.c
+++ b/lib/krb5/principal.c
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ unparse_name(krb5_context context,
 	len++;
     }
     *name = malloc(len);
-    if(*name == NULL)
+    if(len != 0 && *name == NULL)
 	return ENOMEM;
     ret = unparse_name_fixed(context, principal, *name, len, short_flag);
     if(ret)