diff --git a/lisp/gnus/ChangeLog b/lisp/gnus/ChangeLog
index df676146a70..a0ed0360971 100644
--- a/lisp/gnus/ChangeLog
+++ b/lisp/gnus/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2014-02-07  Lars Ingebrigtsen  <larsi@gnus.org>
+
+	* ietf-drums.el (ietf-drums-parse-address): Don't bug out when called
+	with an empty string.
+
 2014-02-06  Lars Ingebrigtsen  <larsi@gnus.org>
 
 	* gnus-msg.el (gnus-summary-cancel-article): `user-mail-address' is
diff --git a/lisp/gnus/ietf-drums.el b/lisp/gnus/ietf-drums.el
index d46f2881ee4..11213689281 100644
--- a/lisp/gnus/ietf-drums.el
+++ b/lisp/gnus/ietf-drums.el
@@ -214,7 +214,8 @@ backslash and doublequote.")
 		(mapconcat 'identity (reverse display-name) " "))
 	(setq display-string (ietf-drums-get-comment string)))
       (if (not mailbox)
-	  (when (string-match "@" display-string)
+	  (when (and display-string
+		     (string-match "@" display-string))
 	    (cons
 	     (mapconcat 'identity (nreverse display-name) "")
 	     (ietf-drums-get-comment string)))