diff --git a/src/ex_docmd.c b/src/ex_docmd.c
index 6df6975..80cc930 100644
--- a/src/ex_docmd.c
+++ b/src/ex_docmd.c
@@ -6572,7 +6572,7 @@
     int		dir_differs;
     int		retval = FALSE;
 
-    if (allbuf_locked())
+    if (new_dir == NULL || allbuf_locked())
 	return FALSE;
 
     if (vim_strchr(p_cpo, CPO_CHDIR) != NULL && curbufIsChanged() && !forceit)
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_cd.vim b/src/testdir/test_cd.vim
index 05d3877..e44b25f 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_cd.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_cd.vim
@@ -101,6 +101,8 @@
   call assert_fails("call chdir('dir-abcd')", 'E472:')
   silent! let d = chdir("dir_abcd")
   call assert_equal("", d)
+  " Should not crash
+  call chdir(d)
 
   only | tabonly
   call chdir(topdir)
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index 9a3d42f..5f090c3 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -743,6 +743,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    189,
+/**/
     188,
 /**/
     187,