diff --git a/servers/slapd/sasl.c b/servers/slapd/sasl.c
index dec3c1f972..876d7d99b5 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/sasl.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/sasl.c
@@ -1515,8 +1515,7 @@ int slap_sasl_bind(
 	if ( !conn->c_sasl_bind_in_progress ) {
 		sc = START( ctx,
 			conn->c_sasl_bind_mech.bv_val,
-			cred->bv_len ? cred->bv_val : "",
-			cred->bv_len,
+			cred->bv_val, cred->bv_len,
 			(SASL_CONST char **)&response.bv_val, &reslen, &errstr );
 
 	} else {