diff --git a/admin/load.c b/admin/load.c
index 307f11984..297d3b6e6 100644
--- a/admin/load.c
+++ b/admin/load.c
@@ -135,12 +135,17 @@ parse_keys(hdb_entry *ent, char *str)
 	    krb5_data_zero (key->salt);
 	} else {
 	    if(strcmp(p, "-") != 0){
+		size_t p_len = strlen(p);
+
 		key->salt = malloc(sizeof(*key->salt));
-		krb5_data_alloc(key->salt, (strlen(p) - 1) / 2 + 1);
-		for(i = 0; i < strlen(p); i += 2){
-		    sscanf(p + i, "%02x", &tmp);
-		    ((u_char*)key->salt->data)[i / 2] = tmp;
-		}
+		if (p_len) {
+		    krb5_data_alloc(key->salt, (p_len - 1) / 2 + 1);
+		    for(i = 0; i < p_len; i += 2){
+			sscanf(p + i, "%02x", &tmp);
+			((u_char*)key->salt->data)[i / 2] = tmp;
+		    }
+		} else
+		    krb5_data_zero (key->salt);
 	    }
 	    p = strsep(&str, ":");
 	}
diff --git a/kadmin/load.c b/kadmin/load.c
index 307f11984..297d3b6e6 100644
--- a/kadmin/load.c
+++ b/kadmin/load.c
@@ -135,12 +135,17 @@ parse_keys(hdb_entry *ent, char *str)
 	    krb5_data_zero (key->salt);
 	} else {
 	    if(strcmp(p, "-") != 0){
+		size_t p_len = strlen(p);
+
 		key->salt = malloc(sizeof(*key->salt));
-		krb5_data_alloc(key->salt, (strlen(p) - 1) / 2 + 1);
-		for(i = 0; i < strlen(p); i += 2){
-		    sscanf(p + i, "%02x", &tmp);
-		    ((u_char*)key->salt->data)[i / 2] = tmp;
-		}
+		if (p_len) {
+		    krb5_data_alloc(key->salt, (p_len - 1) / 2 + 1);
+		    for(i = 0; i < p_len; i += 2){
+			sscanf(p + i, "%02x", &tmp);
+			((u_char*)key->salt->data)[i / 2] = tmp;
+		    }
+		} else
+		    krb5_data_zero (key->salt);
 	    }
 	    p = strsep(&str, ":");
 	}