diff --git a/imap/auth_sasl.c b/imap/auth_sasl.c
index fe922de5..bbc71f75 100644
--- a/imap/auth_sasl.c
+++ b/imap/auth_sasl.c
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ enum ImapAuthRes imap_auth_sasl(struct ImapData *idata, const char *method)
   const char *pc = NULL;
   unsigned int len, olen;
   bool client_start;
+  const char * orig_method = method;
 
   if (mutt_sasl_client_new(idata->conn, &saslconn) < 0)
   {
@@ -229,7 +230,7 @@ bail:
   sasl_dispose(&saslconn);
   FREE(&buf);
 
-  if (method)
+  if (orig_method)
   {
     mutt_debug(2, "imap_auth_sasl: %s failed\n", method);
     return IMAP_AUTH_UNAVAIL;