diff --git a/servers/slapd/overlays/rwmdn.c b/servers/slapd/overlays/rwmdn.c
index dd7203c3cd..8b26b9818a 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/overlays/rwmdn.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/overlays/rwmdn.c
@@ -157,13 +157,14 @@ rwm_dn_massage(
 {
 	int		rc = 0;
 	struct berval	mdn;
+	static char	*dmy = "";
 
 	assert( dc );
 	assert( in );
 	assert( dn );
 
 	rc = rewrite_session( dc->rwmap->rwm_rw, dc->ctx,
-			( in->bv_len ? in->bv_val : "" ), 
+			( in->bv_val ? in->bv_val : dmy ), 
 			dc->conn, &mdn.bv_val );
 	switch ( rc ) {
 	case REWRITE_REGEXEC_OK:
@@ -197,6 +198,10 @@ rwm_dn_massage(
 		break;
 	}
 
+	if ( mdn.bv_val == dmy ) {
+		BER_BVZERO( &mdn );
+	}
+
 	return rc;
 }