diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 55296e37..4831f394 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ CVS code -
 	  buffer rather than the cutbuffer.  Changes to backup_lines(),
 	  do_justify(), etc. (DLR)
 - cut.c:
+  do_cut_text()
+	- If keep_cutbuffer is FALSE, only blow away the text in the
+	  cutbuffer if the cutbuffer isn't empty. (DLR)
   do_uncut_text()
 	- No longer duplicate Pico's adding an extra magicline to the
 	  file if uncutting leaves the cursor on the current one, as
diff --git a/src/cut.c b/src/cut.c
index a90defa6..1d4cac6c 100644
--- a/src/cut.c
+++ b/src/cut.c
@@ -101,9 +101,9 @@ void do_cut_text(void)
 
     check_statusblank();
 
-    /* If keep_cutbuffer is FALSE, blow away the text in the
-     * cutbuffer. */
-    if (!keep_cutbuffer) {
+    /* If keep_cutbuffer is FALSE and the cutbuffer isn't empty, blow
+     * away the text in the cutbuffer. */
+    if (!keep_cutbuffer && cutbuffer != NULL) {
 	free_filestruct(cutbuffer);
 	cutbuffer = NULL;
 #ifdef DEBUG