--- less-436/pattern.c.eline	2009-07-27 13:24:01.794426172 +0000
+++ less-436/pattern.c	2009-07-27 13:24:28.641107814 +0000
@@ -260,7 +260,10 @@ match_pattern(pattern, tpattern, line, l
 	{
 		regmatch_t rm;
 		int flags = (notbol) ? REG_NOTBOL : 0;
-		matched = !regexec(spattern, line, 1, &rm, flags);
+		if(strlen(line))
+			matched = !regexec(spattern, line, 1, &rm, flags);
+		else
+			matched = 0;
 		if (matched)
 		{
 #ifndef __WATCOMC__