diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index de22f2c4..69907de5 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -140,6 +140,8 @@ CVS code -
   parse_colors()
 	- Properly parse a background color without a foreground color.
 	  (DLR)
+	- Properly generate an error if we get a color directive without
+	  a regex string. (DLR)
 - search.c:
   do_gotoline()
 	- Properly show an error message if we try to go to line 0,
diff --git a/src/rcfile.c b/src/rcfile.c
index 3e5bd78c..8eddeb6e 100644
--- a/src/rcfile.c
+++ b/src/rcfile.c
@@ -402,6 +402,12 @@ void parse_colors(char *ptr)
 	return;
     }
 
+    if (*ptr == '\0') {
+	rcfile_error(
+		N_("Cannot add a color directive without a regex string"));
+	return;
+    }
+
     /* Now for the fun part.  Start adding regexes to individual strings
      * in the colorstrings array, woo! */
     while (ptr != NULL && *ptr != '\0') {