diff --git a/kike.c b/kike.c
index 8400e45..a197c5c 100644
--- a/kike.c
+++ b/kike.c
@@ -827,7 +827,8 @@ client_close_link (struct client *c, const char *reason)
 	// it, with some arbitrary timeout.  The `closing_link' state makes sure
 	// that a/ we ignore any successive messages, and b/ that the connection
 	// is killed after the write buffer is transferred and emptied.
-	client_send (c, "ERROR :Closing Link: %s[%s] (%s)", c->nickname,
+	client_send (c, "ERROR :Closing Link: %s[%s] (%s)",
+		c->nickname ? c->nickname : "",
 		c->hostname /* TODO host IP? */, reason);
 	c->closing_link = true;