diff --git a/common/main.c b/common/main.c
index 026edd1db23a19de127fd4b29ec9e69e43f87c99..298982a48add712fa2a7032eb9b2ccb6c9770e5d 100644
--- a/common/main.c
+++ b/common/main.c
@@ -964,7 +964,8 @@ int readline_into_buffer (const char *const prompt, char * buffer)
 			initted = 1;
 		}
 
-		puts (prompt);
+		if (prompt)
+			puts (prompt);
 
 		rc = cread_line(prompt, p, &len);
 		return rc < 0 ? rc : len;