diff --git a/logging.c b/logging.c
index c3f665fed..d70d85b4f 100644
--- a/logging.c
+++ b/logging.c
@@ -269,6 +269,12 @@ void log_error(code)
 		tty, cwd, runas_user);
 	    break;
 
+	case NO_CMND_SAFE:
+	    (void) sprintf(p,
+		"internal error, cmnd_safe never got set for %s; %s", cmnd,
+		"please report this error to sudo-bugs@courtesan.com");
+	    break;
+
 #ifdef HAVE_KERB5
 	case GLOBAL_KRB5_INIT_ERR:
 	    (void) sprintf(p, "Could not initialize Kerberos V");
@@ -662,6 +668,11 @@ void inform_user(code)
 		"Resource allocation failure.\n");
 	    break;
 
+	case NO_CMND_SAFE:
+	    (void) fprintf(stderr,
+		"Internal error, cmnd_safe never got set for %s\n", cmnd);
+	    break;
+
 	default:
 	    (void) fprintf(stderr,
 		"Something weird happened.\n\n");
@@ -720,6 +731,7 @@ static int appropriate(code)
     case BAD_STAMPDIR:
     case BAD_STAMPFILE:
     case BAD_ALLOCATION:
+    case NO_CMND_SAFE:
     default:
 	return (1);
 	break;
diff --git a/sudo.c b/sudo.c
index cbb7cd3b2..98ef37419 100644
--- a/sudo.c
+++ b/sudo.c
@@ -333,6 +333,11 @@ int main(argc, argv)
 	    if ((sudo_mode & MODE_RESET_HOME) && runas_homedir)
 		(void) sudo_setenv("HOME", runas_homedir);
 
+	    /* this *must* have been set if we got a match but... */
+	    if (cmnd_safe == NULL) {
+		inform_user(NO_CMND_SAFE);
+		exit(1);
+	    }
 #ifndef PROFILING
 	    if ((sudo_mode & MODE_BACKGROUND) && fork() > 0)
 		exit(0);
diff --git a/sudo.h b/sudo.h
index 9d0a93931..0ac1b6903 100644
--- a/sudo.h
+++ b/sudo.h
@@ -161,8 +161,9 @@ struct generic_alias {
 #define BAD_STAMPDIR             0x0C
 #define BAD_STAMPFILE            0x0D
 #define BAD_ALLOCATION           0x0E
+#define NO_CMND_SAFE             0x0F
 #ifdef HAVE_KERB5
-#define GLOBAL_KRB5_INIT_ERR     ( 0x0F | GLOBAL_PROBLEM )
+#define GLOBAL_KRB5_INIT_ERR     ( 0x10 | GLOBAL_PROBLEM )
 #endif /* HAVE_KERB5 */
 
 /*