diff --git a/include/ircd/net/remote.h b/include/ircd/net/remote.h
index a478b41ef..3b569950c 100644
--- a/include/ircd/net/remote.h
+++ b/include/ircd/net/remote.h
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ namespace ircd::net
 	std::string string(const hostport &);
 	std::string string(const ipport &);
 	std::string string(const remote &);
+
+	extern const remote null_remote;
 }
 
 /// This structure holds a hostname and port usually fresh from user input
diff --git a/ircd/net.cc b/ircd/net.cc
index 26d8e5c41..8ba878d43 100644
--- a/ircd/net.cc
+++ b/ircd/net.cc
@@ -1516,6 +1516,10 @@ ircd::net::string(const mutable_buffer &buf,
 // net/remote.h
 //
 
+const ircd::net::remote
+ircd::net::null_remote
+{};
+
 //
 // host / port utils
 //