diff --git a/drivers/platform/x86/hp/hp-bioscfg/passwdobj-attributes.c b/drivers/platform/x86/hp/hp-bioscfg/passwdobj-attributes.c
index ed5e2080f22b..010786ac000d 100644
--- a/drivers/platform/x86/hp/hp-bioscfg/passwdobj-attributes.c
+++ b/drivers/platform/x86/hp/hp-bioscfg/passwdobj-attributes.c
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ static int validate_password_input(int instance_id, const char *buf)
 	struct password_data *password_data = &bioscfg_drv.password_data[instance_id];
 
 	length = strlen(buf);
-	if (buf[length - 1] == '\n')
+	if (length > 0 && buf[length - 1] == '\n')
 		length--;
 
 	if (length > MAX_PASSWD_SIZE)