diff --git a/typo3/sysext/install/Classes/Report/SecurityStatusReport.php b/typo3/sysext/install/Classes/Report/SecurityStatusReport.php
index d0f60edc5b34e9f3090a7868f7e309fc33dfc602..31cb0d6aabb0e5112a238066a38bfc8e97cf1370 100644
--- a/typo3/sysext/install/Classes/Report/SecurityStatusReport.php
+++ b/typo3/sysext/install/Classes/Report/SecurityStatusReport.php
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ class SecurityStatusReport implements \TYPO3\CMS\Reports\StatusProviderInterface
         $validPassword = true;
         $installToolPassword = $GLOBALS['TYPO3_CONF_VARS']['BE']['installToolPassword'];
         $saltFactory = \TYPO3\CMS\Saltedpasswords\Salt\SaltFactory::getSaltingInstance($installToolPassword);
-        if (is_object($saltFactory)) {
+        if ($installToolPassword !== '' && is_object($saltFactory)) {
             $validPassword = !$saltFactory->checkPassword('joh316', $installToolPassword);
         } elseif ($installToolPassword === md5('joh316')) {
             $validPassword = false;