diff --git a/js/zerobin.js b/js/zerobin.js
index 3dadae9f..ee88dbb1 100644
--- a/js/zerobin.js
+++ b/js/zerobin.js
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ $(function() {
          */
         cipher: function(key, password, message)
         {
-            password = password.trim();
+            password = (password || '').trim();
             if (password.length == 0)
             {
                 return sjcl.encrypt(key, this.compress(message));