diff --git a/src/common/logging/backend.cpp b/src/common/logging/backend.cpp
index 12cf15f9cf..943d46991e 100644
--- a/src/common/logging/backend.cpp
+++ b/src/common/logging/backend.cpp
@@ -115,6 +115,10 @@ public:
                 auto* s = getenv("USER");
                 if (s == nullptr)
                     s = getenv("USERNAME");
+
+                if (s == nullptr)
+                    return "";
+
                 return std::string{s};
             }();
             if (!username.empty())