diff --git a/kdc/misc.c b/kdc/misc.c
index e2805ad2e..6a8a8933a 100644
--- a/kdc/misc.c
+++ b/kdc/misc.c
@@ -139,7 +139,8 @@ _kdc_db_fetch(krb5_context context,
     krb5_const_principal princ;
 
     *h = NULL;
-    *db = NULL;
+    if (db)
+        *db = NULL;
 
     if (!name_type_ok(context, config, principal))
         return HDB_ERR_NOENTRY;