diff --git a/lib/decompress.c b/lib/decompress.c
index 528ff932d8e4..62696dff5730 100644
--- a/lib/decompress.c
+++ b/lib/decompress.c
@@ -59,8 +59,11 @@ decompress_fn __init decompress_method(const unsigned char *inbuf, long len,
 {
 	const struct compress_format *cf;
 
-	if (len < 2)
+	if (len < 2) {
+		if (name)
+			*name = NULL;
 		return NULL;	/* Need at least this much... */
+	}
 
 	pr_debug("Compressed data magic: %#.2x %#.2x\n", inbuf[0], inbuf[1]);