diff --git a/common/env.c b/common/env.c
index b72b5d1f4..47cef0548 100644
--- a/common/env.c
+++ b/common/env.c
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ int setenv(const char *_name, const char *value)
 	struct variable_d *var;
 	int ret = 0;
 
-	if (!*value)
+	if (value && !*value)
 		value = NULL;