diff --git a/fts.php b/fts.php
index d1c4a36..a4b38c3 100644
--- a/fts.php
+++ b/fts.php
@@ -365,11 +365,14 @@ class fts
       if ($end === false)
         $end = strlen ($query);
       $nbchars = $end - $offset;
-      if ($debug) echo "WORD FOUND (Start $offset with $nbchars chars)\n";
-      $token = substr ($query, $offset, $nbchars);
-      $tokens[] = $token;
-      $sentences[] = false;
-      $minuses[] = $minus;
+      if ($nbchars > 0)
+      {
+        if ($debug) echo "WORD FOUND (Start $offset with $nbchars chars)\n";
+        $token = substr ($query, $offset, $nbchars);
+        $tokens[] = $token;
+        $sentences[] = false;
+        $minuses[] = $minus;
+      }
       $offset = $end + 1;
     }
     if ($debug) print_r ($tokens);