diff --git a/cli/command/registry.go b/cli/command/registry.go
index 68cb43144d..e6311c8bfb 100644
--- a/cli/command/registry.go
+++ b/cli/command/registry.go
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ func RegistryAuthenticationPrivilegedFunc(cli Cli, index *registrytypes.IndexInf
 		indexServer := registry.GetAuthConfigKey(index)
 		isDefaultRegistry := indexServer == ElectAuthServer(context.Background(), cli)
 		authConfig, err := GetDefaultAuthConfig(cli, true, indexServer, isDefaultRegistry)
+		if authConfig == nil {
+			authConfig = &types.AuthConfig{}
+		}
 		if err != nil {
 			fmt.Fprintf(cli.Err(), "Unable to retrieve stored credentials for %s, error: %s.\n", indexServer, err)
 		}
diff --git a/cli/command/registry/login.go b/cli/command/registry/login.go
index f6cb579e75..61dd90c33f 100644
--- a/cli/command/registry/login.go
+++ b/cli/command/registry/login.go
@@ -111,11 +111,12 @@ func runLogin(dockerCli command.Cli, opts loginOptions) error { //nolint: gocycl
 		serverAddress = authServer
 	}
 
-	var err error
-	var authConfig *types.AuthConfig
 	var response registrytypes.AuthenticateOKBody
 	isDefaultRegistry := serverAddress == authServer
-	authConfig, err = command.GetDefaultAuthConfig(dockerCli, opts.user == "" && opts.password == "", serverAddress, isDefaultRegistry)
+	authConfig, err := command.GetDefaultAuthConfig(dockerCli, opts.user == "" && opts.password == "", serverAddress, isDefaultRegistry)
+	if authConfig == nil {
+		authConfig = &types.AuthConfig{}
+	}
 	if err == nil && authConfig.Username != "" && authConfig.Password != "" {
 		response, err = loginWithCredStoreCreds(ctx, dockerCli, authConfig)
 	}