diff --git a/servers/slapd/back-shell/unbind.c b/servers/slapd/back-shell/unbind.c
index 9621de1ab3..099536ae5e 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/back-shell/unbind.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/back-shell/unbind.c
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ shell_back_unbind(
 	fprintf( wfp, "UNBIND\n" );
 	fprintf( wfp, "msgid: %ld\n", (long) op->o_msgid );
 	print_suffixes( wfp, be );
-	fprintf( wfp, "dn: %s\n", (conn->c_dn ? conn->c_dn : "") );
+	fprintf( wfp, "dn: %s\n", (conn->c_dn.bv_len ? conn->c_dn.bv_val : "") );
 	fclose( wfp );
 
 	/* no response to unbind */