diff --git a/code/modules/admin/verbs/adminhelp.dm b/code/modules/admin/verbs/adminhelp.dm
index d6d6999196..78be1c9ea5 100644
--- a/code/modules/admin/verbs/adminhelp.dm
+++ b/code/modules/admin/verbs/adminhelp.dm
@@ -750,6 +750,8 @@ GLOBAL_DATUM_INIT(ahelp_tickets, /datum/admin_help_tickets, new)
 	var/i = 0
 	for(var/word in msglist)
 		i++
+		if(!length(word))
+			continue
 		if(word[1] != "@")
 			continue
 		var/ckey_check = lowertext(copytext(word, 2))