diff --git a/src/m_misc.c b/src/m_misc.c
index 5f75aae92..83c0c7bec 100644
--- a/src/m_misc.c
+++ b/src/m_misc.c
@@ -2457,6 +2457,8 @@ int M_PathParts(const char *path)
 	int n;
 	const char *p;
 	const char *t;
+	if (path == NULL)
+		return 0;
 	for (n = 0, p = path ;; ++n)
 	{
 		t = p;