diff --git a/fs/cifs/connect.c b/fs/cifs/connect.c
index fa73e2a..12cf72d 100644
--- a/fs/cifs/connect.c
+++ b/fs/cifs/connect.c
@@ -3174,6 +3174,10 @@
 	return rc;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Issue a TREE_CONNECT request. Note that for IPC$ shares, that the tcon
+ * pointer may be NULL.
+ */
 int
 CIFSTCon(unsigned int xid, struct cifs_ses *ses,
 	 const char *tree, struct cifs_tcon *tcon,
@@ -3208,7 +3212,7 @@
 	pSMB->AndXCommand = 0xFF;
 	pSMB->Flags = cpu_to_le16(TCON_EXTENDED_SECINFO);
 	bcc_ptr = &pSMB->Password[0];
-	if ((ses->server->sec_mode) & SECMODE_USER) {
+	if (!tcon || (ses->server->sec_mode & SECMODE_USER)) {
 		pSMB->PasswordLength = cpu_to_le16(1);	/* minimum */
 		*bcc_ptr = 0; /* password is null byte */
 		bcc_ptr++;              /* skip password */