diff --git a/server/modules/authenticator/CMakeLists.txt b/server/modules/authenticator/CMakeLists.txt
index bb8fa05d7..9adaf5e52 100644
--- a/server/modules/authenticator/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/server/modules/authenticator/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ set_target_properties(MySQLAuth PROPERTIES VERSION "1.0.0")
 install(TARGETS MySQLAuth DESTINATION ${MAXSCALE_LIBDIR})
 
 add_library(NullAuth SHARED null_auth.c)
-target_link_libraries(NullAuth maxscale-common)
+target_link_libraries(NullAuth maxscale-common MySQLClient)
 set_target_properties(NullAuth PROPERTIES VERSION "1.0.0")
 install(TARGETS NullAuth DESTINATION ${MAXSCALE_LIBDIR})
 
diff --git a/server/modules/authenticator/null_auth.c b/server/modules/authenticator/null_auth.c
index c4ca31f08..0ca01de23 100644
--- a/server/modules/authenticator/null_auth.c
+++ b/server/modules/authenticator/null_auth.c
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@
 #include <dcb.h>
 #include <buffer.h>
 
+/** MXS-1026: Without MySQL protocol data structures, the NullAuth authenticator will crash. */
+#include <mysql_client_server_protocol.h>
+
 /* @see function load_module in load_utils.c for explanation of the following
  * lint directives.
  */
@@ -124,6 +127,11 @@ null_auth_authenticate(DCB *dcb)
 static int
 null_auth_set_protocol_data(DCB *dcb, GWBUF *buf)
 {
+    /** MXS-1026: This will just prevent a crash when the NullAuth authenticator
+     * is used. This does not provide a way to use MaxScale with no authentication. */
+    dcb->data = calloc(1, sizeof(MYSQL_session));
+    dcb->protocol = mysql_protocol_init(dcb, dcb->fd);
+
     return 0;
 }