diff --git a/net/ceph/messenger.c b/net/ceph/messenger.c
index 3e6897efe1eb..3ed2796d008b 100644
--- a/net/ceph/messenger.c
+++ b/net/ceph/messenger.c
@@ -2049,15 +2049,19 @@ static int process_connect(struct ceph_connection *con)
 	dout("process_connect on %p tag %d\n", con, (int)con->in_tag);
 
 	if (con->auth_reply_buf) {
+		int len = le32_to_cpu(con->in_reply.authorizer_len);
+
 		/*
 		 * Any connection that defines ->get_authorizer()
 		 * should also define ->verify_authorizer_reply().
 		 * See get_connect_authorizer().
 		 */
-		ret = con->ops->verify_authorizer_reply(con, 0);
-		if (ret < 0) {
-			con->error_msg = "bad authorize reply";
-			return ret;
+		if (len) {
+			ret = con->ops->verify_authorizer_reply(con, 0);
+			if (ret < 0) {
+				con->error_msg = "bad authorize reply";
+				return ret;
+			}
 		}
 	}