diff --git a/usr.bin/make/unit-tests/Makefile b/usr.bin/make/unit-tests/Makefile
index 6f995908e82c..4c1a52b48602 100644
--- a/usr.bin/make/unit-tests/Makefile
+++ b/usr.bin/make/unit-tests/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# $NetBSD: Makefile,v 1.30 2010/12/10 00:37:23 sjg Exp $
+# $NetBSD: Makefile,v 1.31 2011/03/06 00:02:14 sjg Exp $
 #
 # Unit tests for make(1)
 # The main targets are:
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ SUBFILES= \
 	doterror \
 	dotwait \
 	forsubst \
+	misc \
 	moderrs \
 	modmatch \
 	modmisc \
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ SUBFILES= \
 	modword \
 	posix \
 	qequals \
+	sysv \
 	ternary \
 	unexport \
 	unexport-env \
diff --git a/usr.bin/make/unit-tests/cond1 b/usr.bin/make/unit-tests/cond1
index cf51b5c526f0..7d3df40dc31d 100644
--- a/usr.bin/make/unit-tests/cond1
+++ b/usr.bin/make/unit-tests/cond1
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# $Id: cond1,v 1.4 2008/10/29 15:37:08 sjg Exp $
+# $Id: cond1,v 1.5 2011/03/06 00:02:14 sjg Exp $
 
 # hard code these!
 TEST_UNAME_S= NetBSD
@@ -95,6 +95,11 @@ C=clever
 C=dim
 .endif
 
+.if defined(nosuch) && ${nosuch:Mx} != ""
+# this should not happen
+.info nosuch is x
+.endif
+
 all:
 	@echo "$n is $X prime"
 	@echo "A='$A' B='$B' C='$C' o='$o,${o2}'"
diff --git a/usr.bin/make/unit-tests/misc b/usr.bin/make/unit-tests/misc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..bb54df488f1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/usr.bin/make/unit-tests/misc
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# $Id: misc,v 1.1 2011/03/06 00:02:14 sjg Exp $
+
+.if !exists(${.CURDIR}/)
+.warning ${.CURDIR}/ doesn't exist ?
+.endif
+
+.if !exists(${.CURDIR}/.)
+.warning ${.CURDIR}/. doesn't exist ?
+.endif
+
+.if !exists(${.CURDIR}/..)
+.warning ${.CURDIR}/.. doesn't exist ?
+.endif
+
+all:
+	@: all is well
diff --git a/usr.bin/make/unit-tests/sysv b/usr.bin/make/unit-tests/sysv
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..ab8ce0ba11f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/usr.bin/make/unit-tests/sysv
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# $Id: sysv,v 1.1 2011/03/06 00:02:14 sjg Exp $
+
+FOO ?=
+FOOBAR = $(FOO:=bar)
+
+_this := ${.PARSEDIR}/${.PARSEFILE}
+
+# we expect nothing when FOO is empty
+all:
+	@echo FOOBAR = $(FOOBAR)
+.if empty(FOO)
+	@FOO="foo fu" ${.MAKE} -f ${_this}
+.endif
diff --git a/usr.bin/make/unit-tests/test.exp b/usr.bin/make/unit-tests/test.exp
index 347bb9f2409b..2c54d1f051ec 100644
--- a/usr.bin/make/unit-tests/test.exp
+++ b/usr.bin/make/unit-tests/test.exp
@@ -306,6 +306,8 @@ Now we expect an error...
 *** Error code 1 (continuing)
 `all' not remade because of errors.
 V.i386 ?= OK
+FOOBAR =
+FOOBAR = foobar fubar
 The answer is unknown
 The answer is unknown
 The answer is empty
diff --git a/usr.bin/make/var.c b/usr.bin/make/var.c
index b78219ab56f9..61a433dbbe32 100644
--- a/usr.bin/make/var.c
+++ b/usr.bin/make/var.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	$NetBSD: var.c,v 1.161 2010/12/02 16:46:22 christos Exp $	*/
+/*	$NetBSD: var.c,v 1.162 2011/03/06 00:02:15 sjg Exp $	*/
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993
@@ -69,14 +69,14 @@
  */
 
 #ifndef MAKE_NATIVE
-static char rcsid[] = "$NetBSD: var.c,v 1.161 2010/12/02 16:46:22 christos Exp $";
+static char rcsid[] = "$NetBSD: var.c,v 1.162 2011/03/06 00:02:15 sjg 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 1.161 2010/12/02 16:46:22 christos Exp $");
+__RCSID("$NetBSD: var.c,v 1.162 2011/03/06 00:02:15 sjg Exp $");
 #endif
 #endif /* not lint */
 #endif
@@ -3346,9 +3346,13 @@ ApplyModifiers(char *nstr, const char *tstr,
 		 */
 		termc = *--cp;
 		delim = '\0';
-		newStr = VarModify(ctxt, &parsestate, nstr,
-				   VarSYSVMatch,
-				   &pattern);
+		if (pattern.leftLen == 0 && *nstr == '\0') {
+		    newStr = nstr;	/* special case */
+		} else {
+		    newStr = VarModify(ctxt, &parsestate, nstr,
+				       VarSYSVMatch,
+				       &pattern);
+		}
 		free(UNCONST(pattern.lhs));
 		free(UNCONST(pattern.rhs));
 	    } else
@@ -3746,7 +3750,7 @@ Var_Parse(const char *str, GNode *ctxt, Boolean errnum, int *lengthPtr,
 		nstr = bmake_strndup(start, *lengthPtr);
 		*freePtr = nstr;
 	    } else {
-		nstr = var_Error;
+		nstr = errnum ? var_Error : varNoError;
 	    }
 	}
 	if (nstr != Buf_GetAll(&v->val, NULL))