diff --git a/modules/ldap/util_ldap_cache_mgr.c b/modules/ldap/util_ldap_cache_mgr.c
index 085dd1da4d..09be4e2f28 100644
--- a/modules/ldap/util_ldap_cache_mgr.c
+++ b/modules/ldap/util_ldap_cache_mgr.c
@@ -662,7 +662,8 @@ char *util_ald_cache_display(request_rec *r, util_ldap_state_t *st)
 
 
     if (!util_ldap_cache) {
-        return "<tr valign='top'><td nowrap colspan=7>Cache has not been enabled/initialised.</td></tr>";
+        ap_rputs("<tr valign='top'><td nowrap colspan=7>Cache has not been enabled/initialised.</td></tr>", r);
+        return NULL;
     }
 
     if (r->args && strlen(r->args)) {