diff --git a/src/libopensc/card-piv.c b/src/libopensc/card-piv.c
index 2bc46d3a..0fa2ca7a 100644
--- a/src/libopensc/card-piv.c
+++ b/src/libopensc/card-piv.c
@@ -676,7 +676,7 @@ static int piv_select_aid(sc_card_t* card, u8* aid, size_t aidlen, u8* response,
 	SC_FUNC_CALLED(card->ctx, SC_LOG_DEBUG_VERBOSE);
 	sc_debug(card->ctx, SC_LOG_DEBUG_NORMAL,
 		"Got args: aid=%x, aidlen=%d, response=%x, responselen=%d\n",
-		aid, aidlen, response, *responselen);
+		aid, aidlen, response, responselen ? *responselen : 0);
 
 	sc_format_apdu(card, &apdu, 
 		response == NULL ? SC_APDU_CASE_3_SHORT : SC_APDU_CASE_4_SHORT, 0xA4, 0x04, 0x00);
@@ -684,11 +684,12 @@ static int piv_select_aid(sc_card_t* card, u8* aid, size_t aidlen, u8* response,
 	apdu.data = aid;
 	apdu.datalen = aidlen;
 	apdu.resp = response;
-	apdu.resplen = *responselen;
+	apdu.resplen = responselen ? *responselen : 0;
 	apdu.le = response == NULL ? 0 : 256; /* could be 21  for fci */
 
 	r = sc_transmit_apdu(card, &apdu);
-	*responselen = apdu.resplen;
+	if (responselen)
+		*responselen = apdu.resplen;
 	SC_TEST_RET(card->ctx, SC_LOG_DEBUG_NORMAL, r, "PIV select failed");
 	SC_FUNC_RETURN(card->ctx, SC_LOG_DEBUG_VERBOSE,  sc_check_sw(card, apdu.sw1, apdu.sw2));
 }
@@ -2103,9 +2104,17 @@ static int piv_select_file(sc_card_t *card, const sc_path_t *in_path,
 	
 	/* only support single EF in current application */
 
-	if (pathlen > 2 && memcmp(path, "\x3F\x00", 2) == 0) {
-		path += 2;
-		pathlen -= 2;
+	if (memcmp(path, "\x3F\x00", 2) == 0) {
+		if (pathlen == 2)   {
+			r = piv_select_aid(card, piv_aids[0].value, piv_aids[0].len_short, NULL, NULL);
+			SC_TEST_RET(card->ctx, SC_LOG_DEBUG_NORMAL, r, "Cannot select PIV AID");
+		
+			SC_FUNC_RETURN(card->ctx, SC_LOG_DEBUG_NORMAL, r); 
+		}
+		else if (pathlen > 2) {
+			path += 2;
+			pathlen -= 2;
+		}
 	}
 	 
 	i = piv_find_obj_by_containerid(card, path);