diff --git a/scripts/http-form-brute.nse b/scripts/http-form-brute.nse
index ce3a4b0db..dd486e94e 100644
--- a/scripts/http-form-brute.nse
+++ b/scripts/http-form-brute.nse
@@ -313,6 +313,9 @@ end
 
 -- TODO: expire cookies
 local function update_cookies (old, new)
+  if not old then
+    return
+  end
   for i, c in ipairs(new) do
     local add = true
     for j, oc in ipairs(old) do
@@ -414,7 +417,7 @@ Driver = {
       response = http.get(self.host, self.port, uri, opts)
     end
     local rcount = 0
-    while response do
+    while response and response.status do
       if self.options.is_success and self.options.is_success(response) then
         -- "log out"
         opts.cookies = nil
@@ -453,7 +456,11 @@ Driver = {
 
   login = function (self, username, password)
     local response, success = self:submit_form(username, password)
-    if not response then
+    if response and not response.status then
+      local err = brute.Error:new(response['status-line'] or "Unknown")
+      err:setRetry(true)
+      return false, err
+    elseif not response then
       local err = brute.Error:new("Form submission failed")
       err:setRetry(true)
       return false, err