diff --git a/servers/slapd/backend.c b/servers/slapd/backend.c
index 1ad03e506d..9bdf4d2981 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/backend.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/backend.c
@@ -481,7 +481,11 @@ be_isroot( Backend *be, const char *ndn )
 {
 	int rc;
 
-	if ( ndn == NULL || be->be_root_ndn == NULL ) {
+	if ( ndn == NULL || *ndn == '\0' ) {
+		return( 0 );
+	}
+
+	if ( be->be_root_ndn == NULL || *be->be_root_ndn == '\0' ) {
 		return( 0 );
 	}