diff --git a/servers/slapd/sasl.c b/servers/slapd/sasl.c
index f9a083d9d1..807418a558 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/sasl.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/sasl.c
@@ -233,16 +233,16 @@ int slap_sasl_getdn( Connection *conn, char *id, int len,
 		dn->bv_val = ch_malloc( len+1 );
 		p = slap_strcopy( dn->bv_val, "uid=" );
 		p = slap_strcopy( p, c1 );
-		ch_free( c1 );
 
 		if( realm ) {
 			p = slap_strcopy( p, ",cn=" );
 			p = slap_strcopy( p, realm );
-			realm[-1] = '@';
 		} else if( user_realm && *user_realm ) {
 			p = slap_strcopy( p, ",cn=" );
 			p = slap_strcopy( p, user_realm );
 		}
+		ch_free( c1 );
+
 		if( conn->c_sasl_bind_mech.bv_len ) {
 			p = slap_strcopy( p, ",cn=" );
 			p = slap_strcopy( p, conn->c_sasl_bind_mech.bv_val );