diff --git a/status.c b/status.c
index 073ccf12..c23f9ac3 100644
--- a/status.c
+++ b/status.c
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ status_replace(struct client *c,
 			break;
 		ch = *iptr++;
 
-		if (ch != '#') {
+		if (ch != '#' || *iptr == '\0') {
 			*optr++ = ch;
 			continue;
 		}