diff --git a/source3/auth/auth_server.c b/source3/auth/auth_server.c
index 30e0e13a56e..b57293943c0 100644
--- a/source3/auth/auth_server.c
+++ b/source3/auth/auth_server.c
@@ -153,14 +153,16 @@ static void free_server_private_data(void **private_data_pointer)
 
 static void send_server_keepalive(void **private_data_pointer) 
 {
-	struct cli_state **cli = (struct cli_state **)private_data_pointer;
-	
 	/* also send a keepalive to the password server if its still
 	   connected */
-	if (cli && *cli && (*cli)->initialised) {
-		if (!send_keepalive((*cli)->fd)) {
-			DEBUG( 2, ( "password server keepalive failed.\n"));
-			cli_shutdown(*cli);
+	if (private_data_pointer) {
+		struct cli_state *cli = (struct cli_state *)(*private_data_pointer);
+		if (cli && cli->initialised) {
+			if (!send_keepalive(cli->fd)) {
+				DEBUG( 2, ( "send_server_keepalive: password server keepalive failed.\n"));
+				cli_shutdown(cli);
+				*private_data_pointer = NULL;
+			}
 		}
 	}
 }