diff --git a/libtelnet/genget.c b/libtelnet/genget.c
index 6051f7b4..eae4ecd0 100644
--- a/libtelnet/genget.c
+++ b/libtelnet/genget.c
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ genget (char *name, char **table, int stlen)
   register char **c, **found;
   register int n;
 
-  if (name == 0)
+  if (name == 0 || (name[0] == ' ' && name[1] == '\0'))
     return 0;
 
   found = 0;