diff --git a/include/types.h b/include/types.h
index 0a7179af6..511c56625 100644
--- a/include/types.h
+++ b/include/types.h
@@ -2316,6 +2316,8 @@ typedef struct user_options
   bool         limit_chgd;
   bool         scrypt_tmto_chgd;
   bool         separator_chgd;
+  bool         rule_buf_l_chgd;
+  bool         rule_buf_r_chgd;
 
   bool         advice_disable;
   bool         benchmark;
diff --git a/src/dictstat.c b/src/dictstat.c
index 24eb419c3..a607cf7d6 100644
--- a/src/dictstat.c
+++ b/src/dictstat.c
@@ -100,8 +100,8 @@ void dictstat_read (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx)
 
   if (hashconfig->dictstat_disable == true) return;
 
-  if (user_options->rule_buf_l != NULL) return;
-  if (user_options->rule_buf_r != NULL) return;
+  if (user_options->rule_buf_l_chgd == true) return;
+  if (user_options->rule_buf_r_chgd == true) return;
 
   HCFILE fp;
 
@@ -192,8 +192,8 @@ int dictstat_write (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx)
 
   if (hashconfig->dictstat_disable == true) return 0;
 
-  if (user_options->rule_buf_l != NULL) return 0;
-  if (user_options->rule_buf_r != NULL) return 0;
+  if (user_options->rule_buf_l_chgd == true) return 0;
+  if (user_options->rule_buf_r_chgd == true) return 0;
 
   HCFILE fp;
 
diff --git a/src/user_options.c b/src/user_options.c
index c66722499..a024ce1d1 100644
--- a/src/user_options.c
+++ b/src/user_options.c
@@ -450,8 +450,10 @@ int user_options_getopt (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx, int argc, char **argv)
       case IDX_RP_GEN_FUNC_SEL:           user_options->rp_gen_func_sel           = optarg;                          break;
       case IDX_RP_GEN_SEED:               user_options->rp_gen_seed               = hc_strtoul (optarg, NULL, 10);
                                           user_options->rp_gen_seed_chgd          = true;                            break;
-      case IDX_RULE_BUF_L:                user_options->rule_buf_l                = optarg;                          break;
-      case IDX_RULE_BUF_R:                user_options->rule_buf_r                = optarg;                          break;
+      case IDX_RULE_BUF_L:                user_options->rule_buf_l                = optarg;
+                                          user_options->rule_buf_l_chgd           = true;                            break;
+      case IDX_RULE_BUF_R:                user_options->rule_buf_r                = optarg;
+                                          user_options->rule_buf_r_chgd           = true;                            break;
       case IDX_MARKOV_DISABLE:            user_options->markov_disable            = true;                            break;
       case IDX_MARKOV_CLASSIC:            user_options->markov_classic            = true;                            break;
       case IDX_MARKOV_INVERSE:            user_options->markov_inverse            = true;                            break;