diff --git a/fhem/fhem.pl b/fhem/fhem.pl
index 5e794cc4d..12c17122e 100755
--- a/fhem/fhem.pl
+++ b/fhem/fhem.pl
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ if($cfgRet) {
   $attr{global}{motd} = "$cfgErrMsg\n$cfgRet";
   Log 1, $cfgRet;
 
-} elsif($attr{global}{motd} =~ m/^$cfgErrMsg/) {
+} elsif($attr{global}{motd} && $attr{global}{motd} =~ m/^$cfgErrMsg/) {
   $attr{global}{motd} = "";
 
 }