diff --git a/sql/slave.cc b/sql/slave.cc
index 37afe456ce3..5493d422d37 100644
--- a/sql/slave.cc
+++ b/sql/slave.cc
@@ -3188,7 +3188,7 @@ log '%s' at position %s, relay log '%s' position: %s", RPL_LOG_NAME,
 		    llstr(rli->group_relay_log_pos,llbuff1));
 
   /* execute init_slave variable */
-  if (sys_init_slave.value)
+  if (sys_init_slave.value_length)
   {
     execute_init_command(thd, &sys_init_slave, &LOCK_sys_init_slave);
     if (thd->query_error)
diff --git a/sql/sql_parse.cc b/sql/sql_parse.cc
index 7e6d0ca2434..761c55bb44d 100644
--- a/sql/sql_parse.cc
+++ b/sql/sql_parse.cc
@@ -1000,7 +1000,7 @@ pthread_handler_decl(handle_one_connection,arg)
       net->compress=1;				// Use compression
 
     thd->version= refresh_version;
-    if (sys_init_connect.value && !(thd->master_access & SUPER_ACL))
+    if (sys_init_connect.value_length && !(thd->master_access & SUPER_ACL))
     {
       execute_init_command(thd, &sys_init_connect, &LOCK_sys_init_connect);
       if (thd->query_error)