diff --git a/builtin/check-mailmap.c b/builtin/check-mailmap.c
index df00b5ee13..be2cebe121 100644
--- a/builtin/check-mailmap.c
+++ b/builtin/check-mailmap.c
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ static void check_mailmap(struct string_list *mailmap, const char *contact)
 		mail = ident.mail_begin;
 		maillen = ident.mail_end - ident.mail_begin;
 	} else {
-		name = NULL;
+		name = "";
 		namelen = 0;
 		mail = contact;
 		maillen = strlen(contact);
diff --git a/t/t4203-mailmap.sh b/t/t4203-mailmap.sh
index 2265ff8872..0efa1ac86c 100755
--- a/t/t4203-mailmap.sh
+++ b/t/t4203-mailmap.sh
@@ -114,6 +114,18 @@ test_expect_success 'check-mailmap --stdin simple address: no mapping' '
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'check-mailmap name and address: mapping' '
+	test_when_finished "rm .mailmap" &&
+	cat >.mailmap <<-EOF &&
+	Bug Reports <bugs-new@company.xx> Bugs <bugs@company.xx>
+	EOF
+	cat >expect <<-EOF &&
+	<bugs@company.xx>
+	EOF
+	git check-mailmap "bugs@company.xx" >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'No mailmap' '
 	cat >expect <<-EOF &&
 	$GIT_AUTHOR_NAME (1):