1 files changed, 1 insertions, 1 deletions

diff --git a/shell/shell_common.c b/shell/shell_common.c
index 13163acdf..1eca101b9 100644
--- a/shell/shell_common.c
+++ b/shell/shell_common.c
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ shell_builtin_read(struct builtin_read_params *params)
         argv = params->argv;
         pp = argv;
         while (*pp) {
-                if (endofname(*pp)[0] != '\0') {
+                if (!*pp[0] || endofname(*pp)[0] != '\0') {
                         /* Mimic bash message */
                         bb_error_msg("read: '%s': bad variable name", *pp);
                         return (const char *)(uintptr_t)1;