diff --git a/mbuni/mmlib/mms_util.c b/mbuni/mmlib/mms_util.c
index be9f0f6..8f3cc74 100644
--- a/mbuni/mmlib/mms_util.c
+++ b/mbuni/mmlib/mms_util.c
@@ -186,7 +186,11 @@ Octstr *mms_maketransid(char *qf, Octstr *mmscname)
 
 extern Octstr *mms_getqf_fromtransid(Octstr *transid)
 {
-     int i = octstr_search_char(transid, '@', 0);
+     int i;
+     
+     if (transid == NULL)
+	return NULL;
+     i = octstr_search_char(transid, '@', 0);
      
      return (i >= 0) ? octstr_copy(transid, 0, i) : octstr_duplicate(transid);     
 }