diff --git a/lib/url.c b/lib/url.c
index 54e4d04e53..33c6a2135a 100644
--- a/lib/url.c
+++ b/lib/url.c
@@ -3050,6 +3050,12 @@ static CURLcode override_login(struct Curl_easy *data,
       /* don't update the user name below */
       userp = NULL;
     }
+    /* no user was set but a password, set a blank user */
+    if(userp && !*userp && *passwdp) {
+      *userp = strdup("");
+      if(!*userp)
+        return CURLE_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
+    }
   }
 #endif