diff --git a/code/modules/mob/hear_say.dm b/code/modules/mob/hear_say.dm
index 382eb94b4db..a982cf0d5c7 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/hear_say.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/hear_say.dm
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@
 
 	if(!can_hear())
 		// INNATE is the flag for audible-emote-language, so we don't want to show an "x talks but you cannot hear them" message if it's set
-		// if(!language || !(language.flags & INNATE)) 
+		// if(!language || !(language.flags & INNATE))
 		if(speaker == src)
 			to_chat(src, "<span class='warning'>You cannot hear yourself speak!</span>")
 		else
@@ -158,14 +158,16 @@
 		message = strip_html_properly(message)
 		var/list/punctuation = list(",", "!", ".", ";", "?")
 		var/list/messages = splittext(message, " ")
-		var/R = rand(1, messages.len)
-		var/heardword = messages[R]
-		if(copytext(heardword,1, 1) in punctuation)
-			heardword = copytext(heardword,2)
-		if(copytext(heardword,-1) in punctuation)
-			heardword = copytext(heardword,1,lentext(heardword))
-		heard = "<span class='game say'>...<i>You hear something about<i>... '[heardword]'...</span>"
-
+		if(messages.len > 1)
+			var/R = rand(1, messages.len)
+			var/heardword = messages[R]
+			if(copytext(heardword,1, 1) in punctuation)
+				heardword = copytext(heardword,2)
+			if(copytext(heardword,-1) in punctuation)
+				heardword = copytext(heardword,1,lentext(heardword))
+			heard = "<span class='game say'>...<i>You hear something about<i>... '[heardword]'...</span>"
+		else
+			heard = "<span class='game say'>...<i>You almost hear something...</i>...</span>"
 	else
 		heard = "<span class='game say'>...<i>You almost hear someone talking</i>...</span>"