bash 2.04 possible TERM variable bug?

[Alex Landa]

Configuration Information [Automatically generated, do not change]:
Machine: i386
OS: linux-gnu
Compiler: gcc
Compilation CFLAGS:  -DPROGRAM='bash' -DCONF_HOSTTYPE='i386' 
-DCONF_OSTYPE='linux-gnu' -DCONF_MACHTYPE='i386-redhat-linux-gnu' 
-DCONF_VENDOR='redhat' -DSHELL -DHAVE_CONFIG_H  -D_GNU_SOURCE 
-D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64  -I.  -I. -I./include -I./lib -I/usr/include -O2 
-march=i386 -mcpu=i686
uname output: Linux pepperoni.brooknet 2.2.16-22 #1 Tue Aug 22 16:49:06 EDT 
2000 i686 unknown
Machine Type: i386-redhat-linux-gnu

Bash Version: 2.04
Patch Level: 11
Release Status: release

Description:
        I have recently used bash remotely via a serial line.  This
        requires me to often change the TERM variable, depending on the
        nature of the equipment on the other end of the line.  I observed
        that setting the TERM variable to an invalid terminal type causes
        bash to abort.

        I have tested bash on this machine ('pepperoni.brooknet' - a machine
        on a private home network) and on a 400 MHz machine with an AMD K6-2.
        The OS on the other machine is Red Hat 7.0 as well - the bug appears
        there too.

Repeat-By:
        [my comments in square brackets]
        $ echo $TERM
        vt220
        $ ls --color=auto -F
         [colorized ls listing appears]
        $ export TERM=-
         [invalid TERM setting]
        $ ls
         [ls output appears with no colors as tty setting is wrong]
        $ export TERM=vt220  [restored TERM setting to the default type]
        $ ls
         [ls output colorised again and all appears normal]
        $ export TERM=-
         [other values tried: TERM=vt220-mono, TERM=vt220-25]
        free: called with already freed block argument
        last command: export TERM=-
        Stopping myself...
        [bash exits]