diff --git a/src/or/config.c b/src/or/config.c
index d5c56894747afe6367eeca5401cbf8c1302171c8..e4901f2eee3660a1a22bfb3de4bb79428b7dab0e 100644
--- a/src/or/config.c
+++ b/src/or/config.c
@@ -4691,6 +4691,7 @@ options_init_from_torrc(int argc, char **argv)
   }
 
   if (command == CMD_HASH_PASSWORD) {
+    cf_defaults = tor_strdup("");
     cf = tor_strdup("");
   } else {
     cf_defaults = load_torrc_from_disk(argc, argv, 1);