contrib/credential/netrc/git-credential-netrc: Use of uninitialized value in string

Hello,
I've tried to use the netrc credential with git-send-email
(v1.8.4-rc2), and I've had the following log (running with -d -v):

We were given search token protocol and value smtp
We were given search token host and value smtp.gmail.com:587
We were given search token username and value apelisse@gmail.com
Searching for host = smtp.gmail.com:587
Searching for password = (any value)
Searching for path = (any value)
Searching for protocol = smtp
Searching for username = apelisse@gmail.com
Using GPG to open /home/antoine/.authinfo.gpg: [gpg --decrypt
/home/antoine/.authinfo.gpg]

You need a passphrase to unlock the secret key for
user: "Antoine Pelisse [off-list ref]"
2048-bit RSA key, ID DE2A8792, created 2010-12-31 (main key ID A066A853)

gpg: encrypted with 2048-bit RSA key, ID DE2A8792, created 2010-12-31
      "Antoine Pelisse [off-list ref]"
compare host [smtp.gmail.com:587] to [smtp.gmail.com:587] (entry:
password=secret, username=apelisse@gmail.com, host=smtp.gmail.com:587)
OK: any value satisfies check password
OK: any value satisfies check path
Use of uninitialized value $_[2] in printf at
/home/antoine/code/git/contrib/credential/netrc/git-credential-netrc
line 419.
compare protocol [] to [smtp] (entry: password=secret,
username=apelisse@gmail.com, host=smtp.gmail.com:587)
Use of uninitialized value in string eq at
/home/antoine/code/git/contrib/credential/netrc/git-credential-netrc
line 378.

I can fix the problem by adding a "protocol smtp" to the matching
line, but I wonder why this would be necessary ? After all, if host
smtp.gmail.com:587 matches, do we need to match the protocol ?

Cheers,
Antoine