diff --git a/src/mathed/MathData.cpp b/src/mathed/MathData.cpp
index 03602106c0..b364563d3f 100644
--- a/src/mathed/MathData.cpp
+++ b/src/mathed/MathData.cpp
@@ -398,7 +398,8 @@ void MathData::updateMacros(Cursor * cur, MacroContext const & mc)
 	// go over the array and look for macros
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < size(); ++i) {
 		MathMacro * macroInset = operator[](i).nucleus()->asMacro();
-		if (!macroInset || macroInset->name_[0] == '^'
+		if (!macroInset || macroInset->name_.size() == 0
+				|| macroInset->name_[0] == '^'
 				|| macroInset->name_[0] == '_'
 				|| macroInset->name() == edited_name)
 			continue;