diff --git a/artemis-protocols/artemis-amqp-protocol/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/protocol/amqp/proton/handler/ProtonHandler.java b/artemis-protocols/artemis-amqp-protocol/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/protocol/amqp/proton/handler/ProtonHandler.java
index 71cf4a3ead..25ef51ea9d 100644
--- a/artemis-protocols/artemis-amqp-protocol/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/protocol/amqp/proton/handler/ProtonHandler.java
+++ b/artemis-protocols/artemis-amqp-protocol/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/protocol/amqp/proton/handler/ProtonHandler.java
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ public class ProtonHandler extends ProtonInitializable {
             serverSasl.recv(dataSASL, 0, dataSASL.length);
 
             if (log.isTraceEnabled()) {
-               log.trace("Working on sasl::" + ByteUtil.bytesToHex(dataSASL, 2));
+               log.trace("Working on sasl::" + (dataSASL != null && dataSASL.length > 0 ? ByteUtil.bytesToHex(dataSASL, 2) : "Anonymous"));
             }
 
             saslResult = mechanism.processSASL(dataSASL);