diff --git a/src/vim9compile.c b/src/vim9compile.c
index 55abecf..6cbf784 100644
--- a/src/vim9compile.c
+++ b/src/vim9compile.c
@@ -3975,7 +3975,10 @@
 
 	if (!eval_isnamec1(**arg))
 	{
-	    semsg(_(e_name_expected), *arg);
+	    if (ends_excmd(*skipwhite(*arg)))
+		semsg(_(e_empty_expression_str), *arg);
+	    else
+		semsg(_(e_name_expected_str), *arg);
 	    return FAIL;
 	}
 
@@ -7101,28 +7104,31 @@
 compile_mult_expr(char_u *arg, int cmdidx, cctx_T *cctx)
 {
     char_u	*p = arg;
-    char_u	*prev;
+    char_u	*prev = arg;
     int		count = 0;
 
     for (;;)
     {
+	if (ends_excmd2(prev, p))
+	    break;
 	if (compile_expr0(&p, cctx) == FAIL)
 	    return NULL;
 	++count;
 	prev = p;
 	p = skipwhite(p);
-	if (ends_excmd2(prev, p))
-	    break;
     }
 
-    if (cmdidx == CMD_echo || cmdidx == CMD_echon)
-	generate_ECHO(cctx, cmdidx == CMD_echo, count);
-    else if (cmdidx == CMD_execute)
-	generate_MULT_EXPR(cctx, ISN_EXECUTE, count);
-    else if (cmdidx == CMD_echomsg)
-	generate_MULT_EXPR(cctx, ISN_ECHOMSG, count);
-    else
-	generate_MULT_EXPR(cctx, ISN_ECHOERR, count);
+    if (count > 0)
+    {
+	if (cmdidx == CMD_echo || cmdidx == CMD_echon)
+	    generate_ECHO(cctx, cmdidx == CMD_echo, count);
+	else if (cmdidx == CMD_execute)
+	    generate_MULT_EXPR(cctx, ISN_EXECUTE, count);
+	else if (cmdidx == CMD_echomsg)
+	    generate_MULT_EXPR(cctx, ISN_ECHOMSG, count);
+	else
+	    generate_MULT_EXPR(cctx, ISN_ECHOERR, count);
+    }
     return p;
 }