diff --git a/src/cd-paranoia/cd-paranoia.c b/src/cd-paranoia/cd-paranoia.c
index 3c76b5e0..655dd1ce 100644
--- a/src/cd-paranoia/cd-paranoia.c
+++ b/src/cd-paranoia/cd-paranoia.c
@@ -766,7 +766,7 @@ main(int argc,char *argv[])
       exit(1);
     }
   }else
-    span=strdup(argv[optind]);
+    if (argv[optind]) span=strdup(argv[optind]);
 
   report(PARANOIA_VERSION);