diff --git a/usr.bin/make/var.c b/usr.bin/make/var.c
index 7753d9b5331c..ee2ba71dabcf 100644
--- a/usr.bin/make/var.c
+++ b/usr.bin/make/var.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	$NetBSD: var.c,v 1.71 2003/03/14 05:19:43 thorpej Exp $	*/
+/*	$NetBSD: var.c,v 1.72 2003/05/22 18:20:10 christos Exp $	*/
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993
@@ -39,14 +39,14 @@
  */
 
 #ifdef MAKE_BOOTSTRAP
-static char rcsid[] = "$NetBSD: var.c,v 1.71 2003/03/14 05:19:43 thorpej Exp $";
+static char rcsid[] = "$NetBSD: var.c,v 1.72 2003/05/22 18:20:10 christos Exp $";
 #else
 #include <sys/cdefs.h>
 #ifndef lint
 #if 0
 static char sccsid[] = "@(#)var.c	8.3 (Berkeley) 3/19/94";
 #else
-__RCSID("$NetBSD: var.c,v 1.71 2003/03/14 05:19:43 thorpej Exp $");
+__RCSID("$NetBSD: var.c,v 1.72 2003/05/22 18:20:10 christos Exp $");
 #endif
 #endif /* not lint */
 #endif
@@ -2010,7 +2010,7 @@ Var_Parse(char *str, GNode *ctxt, Boolean err, int *lengthPtr,
 	 * Skip initial colon while putting it back.
 	 */
 	*tstr++ = ':';
-	while (*tstr != endc) {
+	while (*tstr && *tstr != endc) {
 	    char	*newStr;    /* New value to return */
 	    char	termc;	    /* Character which terminated scan */