diff --git a/scsh/syscalls1.c b/scsh/syscalls1.c
index 54a8ebd..e9cf887 100644
--- a/scsh/syscalls1.c
+++ b/scsh/syscalls1.c
@@ -758,6 +758,11 @@ s48_value fcntl_write(s48_value fd, s48_value command, s48_value value)
 */
 s48_value scm_crypt(s48_value key, s48_value salt)
 {
-  return s48_enter_string (crypt ( s48_extract_string (key), 
-				   s48_extract_string(salt)));
+  char * ret = crypt (s48_extract_string (key), 
+		      s48_extract_string(salt));
+
+  // FreeBSD does this on error:
+  if (ret == NULL) return s48_enter_string("");
+
+  return s48_enter_string (ret);
 }