diff --git a/src/tincctl.c b/src/tincctl.c
index 24359ab7..ca354bc0 100644
--- a/src/tincctl.c
+++ b/src/tincctl.c
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ static bool parse_options(int argc, char **argv) {
 
         /* netname "." is special: a "top-level name" */
 
-        if(!strcmp(netname, ".")) {
+        if(netname && !strcmp(netname, ".")) {
                 free(netname);
                 netname = NULL;
         }
diff --git a/src/tincd.c b/src/tincd.c
index 85aee39f..9879ecb6 100644
--- a/src/tincd.c
+++ b/src/tincd.c
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ static bool parse_options(int argc, char **argv) {
 
 	/* netname "." is special: a "top-level name" */
 
-	if(!strcmp(netname, ".")) {
+	if(netname && !strcmp(netname, ".")) {
 		free(netname);
 		netname = NULL;
 	}