diff --git a/client/mysql.cc b/client/mysql.cc
index 234180c3c75..2ef987492b7 100644
--- a/client/mysql.cc
+++ b/client/mysql.cc
@@ -1821,7 +1821,7 @@ static int read_and_execute(bool interactive)
         the very beginning of a text file when
         you save the file using "Unicode UTF-8" format.
       */
-      if (!line_number &&
+      if (line && !line_number &&
            (uchar) line[0] == 0xEF &&
            (uchar) line[1] == 0xBB &&
            (uchar) line[2] == 0xBF)