diff --git a/lib/db/json.js b/lib/db/json.js
index 5ff3d50a951065fbf3da66843aaa376e76ba8a41..0998f88032b459980ecdd02449ee53590b53c560 100644
--- a/lib/db/json.js
+++ b/lib/db/json.js
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ exports.completeAddEmail = function(secret, cb) {
       function addIt() {
         addEmailToAccount(o.existing_user, o.email, 'secondary', function(e) {
           var hash = o.passwd;
-          if(e || hash === null) return cb(e, o.email, o.existing_user);
+          if(e || typeof hash !== 'string') return cb(e, o.email, o.existing_user);
 
           // a hash was specified, update the password for the user
           exports.emailToUID(o.email, function(err, uid) {