--- cvs-1.12.13.orig/debian/patches/11_check_method_crash
+++ cvs-1.12.13/debian/patches/11_check_method_crash
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#
+# Do a basic sanity check on the method in the CVSROOT - don't crash
+# if one is not specified! Bug#274020
+#
+# Patch from Steve McIntyre <steve@einval.com>
+diff -ruN cvs-1.12.13-old/src/root.c cvs-1.12.13/src/root.c
+--- cvs-1.12.13-old/src/root.c	2005-09-25 08:38:29.000000000 +0800
++++ cvs-1.12.13/src/root.c	2006-02-26 17:48:32.000000000 +0800
+@@ -535,6 +535,12 @@
+ 	    method = "";
+ #endif /* defined (CLIENT_SUPPORT) || defined (SERVER_SUPPORT) */
+ 
++    if (NULL == method)
++	{
++	    error (0, 0, "Missing method in CVSROOT.");
++	    goto error_exit;
++	}
++
+ 	/* Now we have an access method -- see if it's valid. */
+ 
+ 	if (!strcasecmp (method, "local"))