diff --git a/agent/ChangeLog b/agent/ChangeLog
index 18a94916d..3c52e1f2c 100644
--- a/agent/ChangeLog
+++ b/agent/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2011-09-12  Ben Kibbey <bjk@luxsci.net>
+
+	* genkey.c (agent_ask_new_passphrase): Allow for an empty passphrase
+	(no protection) in PINENTRY_MODE_LOOPBACK.
+
 2011-09-10  Ben Kibbey <bjk@luxsci.net>
 
 	* agent.h (pinentry_loopback): New prototype.
diff --git a/agent/genkey.c b/agent/genkey.c
index b02268497..20b9230bd 100644
--- a/agent/genkey.c
+++ b/agent/genkey.c
@@ -313,8 +313,13 @@ agent_ask_new_passphrase (ctrl_t ctrl, const char *prompt,
 	err = pinentry_loopback(ctrl, "NEW_PASSPHRASE", &buffer, &size, len);
 	if (!err)
 	  {
-	    buffer[size] = 0;
-	    *r_passphrase = buffer;
+	    if (size)
+	      {
+		buffer[size] = 0;
+		*r_passphrase = buffer;
+	      }
+	    else
+	        *r_passphrase = NULL;
 	  }
 	return err;
     }