diff --git a/resolver.c b/resolver.c
index 3ca8835..b42e544 100644
--- a/resolver.c
+++ b/resolver.c
@@ -117,6 +117,10 @@ char* do_resolve(struct addr_storage *addr) {
     /* Allocate buffer, remember to free it to avoid memory leakage. */
     tmphstbuf = xmalloc (hstbuflen);
 
+    /* nss-myhostname's gethostbyaddr_r() causes an assertion failure if an
+     * "invalid" (as in outside of IPv4 or IPv6) address family is passed */
+    if (addr->af == AF_INET || addr->af == AF_INET6) {
+
     /* Some machines have gethostbyaddr_r returning an integer error code; on
      * others, it returns a struct hostent*. */
 #ifdef GETHOSTBYADDR_R_RETURNS_INT
@@ -135,6 +139,7 @@ char* do_resolve(struct addr_storage *addr) {
         hstbuflen *= 2;
         tmphstbuf = realloc (tmphstbuf, hstbuflen);
       }
+    }
 
     /*  Check for errors.  */
     if (res || hp == NULL) {