diff --git a/src/act.wizard.c b/src/act.wizard.c
index 629ee96..a301664 100644
--- a/src/act.wizard.c
+++ b/src/act.wizard.c
@@ -4918,6 +4918,9 @@ bool AddRecentPlayer(char *chname, char *chhost, bool newplr, bool cpyplr)
   time_t ct;
   int max_vnum;
 
+  if (!chname || !*chname) // dropped connection with no name given
+       return FALSE;
+
   ct = time(0);  /* Grab the current time */
 
   this = create_recent();