diff --git a/plugins/spamassassin b/plugins/spamassassin
index 331321c..02a89ef 100644
--- a/plugins/spamassassin
+++ b/plugins/spamassassin
@@ -98,7 +98,8 @@ sub check_spam {
   my $paddr   = sockaddr_in($port, $iaddr);
 
   my $proto   = getprotobyname('tcp');
-  if ( $self->{_args}->{spamd_socket} =~ /^([\w\/.-]+)$/ ) { # connect to Unix Domain Socket
+  if ($self->{_args}->{spamd_socket} and
+      $self->{_args}->{spamd_socket} =~ /^([\w\/.-]+)$/ ) { # connect to Unix Domain Socket
     my $spamd_socket = $1;
     
     socket(SPAMD, PF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0)