--- src/raptor_rfc2396.c
+++ src/raptor_rfc2396.c
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@
   } 
 
   
-  if(prev && s == (cur+2) && cur[0] == '.' && cur[1] == '.') {
+  if(prev && cur && s == (cur+2) && cur[0] == '.' && cur[1] == '.') {
     /* Remove <component>/.. at the end of the path */
     *prev = '\0';
     path_len -= (s-prev);