--- loncom/lonnet/perl/lonnet.pm	2006/09/28 01:38:59	1.784
+++ loncom/lonnet/perl/lonnet.pm	2006/09/28 20:03:55	1.785
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network
 # TCP networking package
 #
-# $Id: lonnet.pm,v 1.784 2006/09/28 01:38:59 albertel Exp $
+# $Id: lonnet.pm,v 1.785 2006/09/28 20:03:55 albertel Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -7189,7 +7189,7 @@ sub get_iphost {
        chomp($configline);
        if ($configline) {
 	   my ($host,$type) = split(':',$configline,2);
-	   if ($type eq '') { $type = 'default' };
+	   if (!defined($type) || $type eq '') { $type = 'default' };
 	   push(@{ $spareid{$type} }, $host);
        }
     }