diff --git a/src/core/chat-commands.c b/src/core/chat-commands.c
index d5a133f8..77f02aa2 100644
--- a/src/core/chat-commands.c
+++ b/src/core/chat-commands.c
@@ -404,7 +404,10 @@ static void cmd_msg(const char *data, SERVER_REC *server, WI_ITEM_REC *item)
 		else
 			splitmsgs = singlemsg;
 
-		while ((m = splitmsgs[n++])) {
+		/* splitmsgs may be NULL if there was an error */
+		g_warn_if_fail(splitmsgs != NULL);
+
+		while (splitmsgs && (m = splitmsgs[n++])) {
 			signal_emit("server sendmsg", 4, server, target, m,
 				    GINT_TO_POINTER(target_type));
 			signal_emit(target_type == SEND_TARGET_CHANNEL ?