diff --git a/servers/slapd/connection.c b/servers/slapd/connection.c
index 483c7d68b2..57a6280d82 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/connection.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/connection.c
@@ -927,7 +927,8 @@ connection_input(
 			ber_pvt_sb_get_desc( conn->c_sb ), err, STRERROR(err) );
 		Debug( LDAP_DEBUG_TRACE,
 			"\t*** got %ld of %lu so far\n",
-			(long)(conn->c_currentber->ber_rwptr - conn->c_currentber->ber_buf),
+			conn->c_currentber->ber_buf ?
+			(long)(conn->c_currentber->ber_rwptr - conn->c_currentber->ber_buf) : 0,
 			conn->c_currentber->ber_len, 0 );
 
 		if ( err != EWOULDBLOCK && err != EAGAIN ) {