diff --git a/sshconnect2.c b/sshconnect2.c
index 389bec9..1a8f390 100644
--- a/sshconnect2.c
+++ b/sshconnect2.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $OpenBSD: sshconnect2.c,v 1.166 2008/07/17 08:48:00 djm Exp $ */
+/* $OpenBSD: sshconnect2.c,v 1.167 2008/07/31 14:48:28 markus Exp $ */
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2000 Markus Friedl.  All rights reserved.
  *
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@
 	debug3("input_userauth_banner");
 	raw = packet_get_string(&len);
 	lang = packet_get_string(NULL);
-	if (options.log_level >= SYSLOG_LEVEL_INFO) {
+	if (len > 0 && options.log_level >= SYSLOG_LEVEL_INFO) {
 		if (len > 65536)
 			len = 65536;
 		msg = xmalloc(len * 4); /* max expansion from strnvis() */