diff --git a/src/buffer.c b/src/buffer.c
index 34273d8..7b02dda 100644
--- a/src/buffer.c
+++ b/src/buffer.c
@@ -4062,7 +4062,8 @@
 		item[curitem].minwid = -syn_namen2id(t, (int)(s - t));
 		curitem++;
 	    }
-	    ++s;
+	    if (*s != NUL)
+		++s;
 	    continue;
 	}