diff --git a/Source/kwsys/Directory.cxx b/Source/kwsys/Directory.cxx
index f7fb5e98c3..bc775e9441 100644
--- a/Source/kwsys/Directory.cxx
+++ b/Source/kwsys/Directory.cxx
@@ -199,6 +199,11 @@ namespace KWSYS_NAMESPACE
 bool Directory::Load(const char* name)
 {
   this->Clear();
+   
+  if (!name)
+    {
+    return 0;
+    }
   DIR* dir = opendir(name);
 
   if (!dir)