--- a/src/parse.c
+++ b/src/parse.c
@@ -80,6 +80,15 @@
     struct tm *timeptr;
 
     /*
+     * make sure that parseable data is available
+     * this prevents a possible segmentation fault
+     */
+    if (message->user == NULL)
+        message->user = "error";
+    if (message->email == NULL)
+        message->email = "server.err";
+
+    /*
      * default message
      */
     snprintf (msg, sizeof (msg), "PRIVMSG %s :%s.\r\n", message->channel, gettext ("Request cannot be performed"));