diff --git a/src/XrdSeckrb5/XrdSecProtocolkrb5.cc b/src/XrdSeckrb5/XrdSecProtocolkrb5.cc
index 6fd79400901..ddc9f7117fa 100644
--- a/src/XrdSeckrb5/XrdSecProtocolkrb5.cc
+++ b/src/XrdSeckrb5/XrdSecProtocolkrb5.cc
@@ -510,7 +510,9 @@ int XrdSecProtocolkrb5::Authenticate(XrdSecCredentials *cred,
           {char* cpName;
            int ec;
            isCP = true;
-           if ((ec = krb5_unparse_name(krb_context,
+           if (!Ticket || !Ticket->enc_part2)
+               cPrincipal = "[principal not available]";
+           else if ((ec = krb5_unparse_name(krb_context,
                           (krb5_const_principal)Ticket->enc_part2->client,
                           (char **)&cpName)))
               {char mBuff[1024];